AP Human Geography Unit 3 Review

Introduction

• Culture:
  • Made up of material and non-material culture
  • Material culture: Physical objects, artifacts
  • Non-material culture: Ideas, beliefs, values, languages, customs
  • Example: Japanese tea ceremony (material and non-material aspects)
  • Subculture: Group within larger society with distinct beliefs, values, practices

Types of Culture

• Modern Culture vs. Folk Culture:
  • Modern (Pop Culture): Developed regions, spreads through hierarchical diffusion, prioritizes individualism, is diverse and evolving
  • Folk Culture: Homogeneous, spread through relocation diffusion, emphasizes community, family, and religion
  • Indigenous Cultures: Tied to specific geographic regions, emphasize traditional values

Perspectives in Culture

• Ethnocentrism: Judging other cultures by one's own standards
• Cultural Relativism: Evaluating cultures by their own standards

Cultural Landscape

• Human modifications of natural environments
• Includes religious practices, infrastructure, architectural styles
• Architecture:
  • Traditional: Uses local resources, reflects local culture
  • Modern: Focuses on function, less cultural incorporation
  • Post-Modern: Unique style, incorporates local culture
• Sequent Occupancy: Layers of cultural impacts over time

Human and Physical Characteristics

• Human: Demographics, languages, religions
• Physical: Natural features, man-made structures

Sense of Place

• Emotional connection to geographic area
• Can be influenced by local culture, architecture, history
• Placelessness: Lack of unique characteristics

Diffusion

• Relocation Diffusion: Physical movement spreads culture
  • Example: Amish migration
• Expansion Diffusion: Spread via contact
  • Contagious: Spreads widely without restriction
  • Hierarchical: Spreads through structures of power
  • Reverse Hierarchical: Starts at the bottom, spreads up
  • Stimulus: Adapts the original idea to fit local culture

Historical Causes of Diffusion

• Colonialism and Imperialism:
  • English as lingua franca due to British Empire
  • Christianity spread via colonial missionaries
• Trade and Commerce:
  • Colombian Exchange, Triangular Trade
  • Silk Road spreading ideas and goods

Contemporary Causes of Diffusion

• Technology, globalization, urbanization
• Time-Space Convergence: Technology reduces barriers
• Social media platforms enhance diffusion

Cultural Convergence and Divergence

• Convergence: Cultures becoming more similar
• Divergence: Cultures separating

Religion

• Universalizing Religions: Seek to spread
  • Examples: Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Sikhism
• Ethnic Religions: Tied to specific regions
  • Examples: Hinduism, Judaism

Language

• Language Families: Groups with common ancestry
• Dialects: Regional language variants

Effects of Diffusion

• Assimilation, Acculturation, Syncretism
• Cultural Resistance: Barriers to adopting new traits
• Multiculturalism: Coexistence of diverse cultures

Conclusion

• Highlighted unit concepts with practice quizzes and additional resources available in the review packet. Aim for understanding these concepts for better performance in class and on the AP exam.
• Encouraged to use additional resources for mastering unit concepts.