What Is Religion?
Stories, symbols, beliefs and practices that give meaning to life, often relating to a
higher power.
3 Major Categories of Religions
• Monotheistic - belief in the existence of one deity (god)– Judaism, Christianity, Islam
• Polytheistic - belief in the existence of more than one deity or representation of that deity– Hinduism
• Animistic - belief that objects, places and creatures possess spiritual qualities
Hearths of the 5 Major Religions
• Hinduism - Indus River Valley (modern day Pakistan)• Buddhism - Indus River Valley (modern day
Pakistan)• Judaism - Eastern Mediterranean (modern day
Israel)• Christianity - Eastern Mediterranean (modern day
Israel)• Islam - Arabian Peninsula (modern day Saudi Arabia)
2 Explanations for Diffusion of Religion
• Universalizing religions - attempt to appeal to many people throughout the world– Christianity, Islam, Buddhism
• Ethnic religions - appeal primarily to a specific group of people in a specific place– Judaism, Hinduism
World Religions Today
Remember these are broad generalizations!Where are you most likely to encounter Hindus? Buddhists? Jews?
Christians? Muslims? Followers of traditional religious beliefs? Why in those locations? How does it affect those locations?
Sunni and Shi’a Muslims
Sunnis more diffused, Shi’ites predominantly in Iran and parts of Iraq and Afghanistan
2012 AP HuG Exam FRQ
Push and pull factors!
city structure - hint: how do we see local culture in urban area?population structure - hint: pyramids!
Unit 2: Population GeogUnit 3: Cultural GeogUnit 7: Urban Geog
Where are you most likely to encounter Catholics? Baptists? Mormons? Lutherans? Methodists? Followers of other Christian religions? Non-Christian
religions? Why in those locations? How does it affect those locations?
2009 AP HuG Exam FRQThis is a
2Ws question.
Where is it? Why is it there?
Unit 1: Intro to HuG
Unit 3: Cultural
Geog
Religion and ConflictReligion Usually One of Many Factors, Not the Only Factor
• INTERfaith boundaries: geographic divisions between different religions– Examples:
• Israel and Palestine - Jews and Muslims• Northern and Southern Africa - Muslims and Christians
• INTRAfaith boundaries: geographic divisions within the same religion– Examples:
• Northern Ireland - Catholics and Protestants (both Christians)• Middle East - Sunni and Shi’a (both Muslims)
1948: United Nations Establishes Israel as Jewish Homeland
• Conflict continues over this land between Israelis and Palestinian Arabs, whose ancestors have lived in the region for centuries.