Culture

Culture, Cultural Diffusion

and Human Migration

By Mr. Thrasher

What is Culture?

What is an Ethnic Group?

Culture

⬥ The set of beliefs, values and practices

that a group of people have in
common

Aspects of Culture

● Religion

● Language

● Clothes

● Music

● Food

Ethnic Group

● Defined as a

group of
people who
share a
common
culture and
ancestry

Multiple Choice

Which of these is NOT an element of culture?

• Nail Clippers

• Sports

• Religion

• Language

Multiple Choice

Ethnic groups share

• Ancestry and Culture

• Clothes

• Houses

• Stinky Feet

Development of Culture

■ Culture is often passed down in a family

from one generation to the next

■ Culture can develop as people learn new

culture traits through migration

■ History also impacts culture

󰔡󰥙󰔠󰥓󰔥󰥜󰔭

Multiple Choice

Which does NOT impact how culture is learned?

• The family

• Religious institutions

• Communities

• Bus Stop

Example

⬥ Historical events influenced language and

religion in North America - the US and Canada

⬥ In the 1500s when English and French colonists

conquered the region, they brought their
language, religions, and traditions with them

Cultural regions

● Defined as an area in which people

have many shared cultural traits

● Why might Canada and the United States

be considered a “cultural region”?

Multiple Choice

Why do people speak French in the eastern part of Canada?

• People speak French in the eastern part of Canada because of French colonization.

• French is taught in schools across Canada.
• French is spoken due to immigration from France.
• French is spoken because the British colonized Canada.

Multiple Choice

Which of these is an example of a cultural region?

• Rocky Mountain Region

• Great Lakes Region

• Hispanic Region

• Gulf Coast Region

Multiple Choice

Why can Canada and The United States be considered a cultural region?

• They share language and religion.

• They share mountains.

• They share bodies of water.

• They share borders.

Cultural Diversity

● Countries often

have many cultural
groups, or ethnic
groups, within their
borders.

Multicultural Society

● “Multi” meaning many!

● Society that includes a variety of cultures in

the same area

● Multiculturalism creates a mix of ideas,

behaviors, and practices

● Can lead to conflict.

Cultural Diffusion

● Defined as the spread of culture traits

from one place to another.

● Occurs when people move from one

place to another through colonization,
immigration, and migration.

● Example: French is spoken in parts of

Canada due to French colonization!

Engage & Connect

Now that we have a beginning understanding of what culture is, write
these in your Interactive Notebooks!

-What is culture in your own words?

-How is culture in the 5 themes of geography?

(Movement, Region, Human-environment interaction, Location, Place)

●Movement - People move with their cultures

●Region - Cultures can define a region, regions can define cultures

●Human-environment interaction - Different cultures interact with
their environments in different ways

●Location - Culture is largely impacted by location

●Place - Culture can change places

Mix-Match-Freeze

●

Culture

●

Cultural Diffusion

●

Migration

●

Immigration

●

Human Migration

●

Diversity

●

Multiculturalism

Directions: You will receive a strip of paper with
either a vocabulary word from the list or a definition to
one of these words.

I will play music for 2 minutes, during that time I want
you to try and find your “Match” - the person that
matches your vocabulary word with its definition.

Once you have met your Match, you can stay with
that person. If you have not, continue looking until I
say “Freeze”!

Key Vocabulary

●Culture - The set of beliefs, values, and practices that a group of people have in
common.

●Cultural Diffusion - The spreading out of culture, culture traits, or a cultural pattern
from a central point.

●Migration - Movement from one region to another

●Immigration - Movement from one country to another

●Human Migration - The movement of people from one place to another with intentions
of settling, permanently or temporarily, at a new location (geographic region).

●Diversity – Exhibiting a variety of types

●Multiculturalism – The preservation of different cultures or cultural identities within a
unified society

Human Migration in the US and Canada

●Migration generally results in a modification
of cultures and the cultural landscape along
with possible cultural tensions.

●European immigration to the region in the
sixteenth century resulted in limited
government, widespread use of English and
French, and the spread of Christian
religious practices to the region.

●Forced migration of enslaved Africans to the
region is reflected in the cultural practices
and demographics of the region.

●Westward migration across the United
States and Canada influenced the image of
rugged people who survive in adverse
circumstances.

Human Migration in the US and Canada

●Rural (farmland) to urban (city) migration in the
region has resulted in a highly urbanized
culture in the United States and Canada.

●Migration from Mexico to the United States has
impacted cultural practices as well as spread
the use of Spanish.

●Human migrations to the United States and
Canada have resulted in multicultural societies.

Check for Understanding

Why is the United States considered a multicultural area?

Check for Understanding

Which region are we in?

What are some similarities and differences of the regions in the US and Canada?

How would you create regions for the United States or Canada?

People and Culture in the United States

Directions: We will complete the first section
- Ethnic Groups in the US together by
writing who is being described, what these
people/cultures are doing, and where these
people/cultures are.

What trends do you notice
with where Hispanic
Americans live?

What trends do you notice
about where Asian Americans
live?

United States People and Culture (p. 154-156)

Ethnic Groups in
the United States

Who: Native Americans, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans

Where: Ethnic groups are spread throughout the US.
Native Americans - Mainly western half of the US.
African Americans - Mainly southern/southeastern US.
Hispanic Americans - Mainly southwestern US
Asian Americans - Mainly western US

Language

What: English, Spanish, French, Chinese, Vietnamese, Arabic, Tagalog, and many others

Religion

What: Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hindu, Sikh

Where: Religious establishments - churches, synagogues, mosques, temples, or gurdwaras

Foods and Music

What: Mexican tacos, Italian pizza/pasta, Japanese sushi

Popular Culture

(Pop Culture)

What: Entertainment (movies, TV shows, music), Sports, American businesses, clothing

Discussion

Think - Pair - Share!

How do you think American culture will be

different in the future?

Summary of US Culture

The United States is a diverse country with a rich culture.

The history of the US has helped shape the democratic nation it is today.
Drawn to the US because of its democracy, immigrants from around the world
have shaped American culture.

American culture values freedom, equality, and hard work, and it is known for
its popular music, sports, and delicious food like hamburgers and apple pie.
Americans celebrate holidays like Thanksgiving and Independence Day, and
they enjoy activities like baseball and watching movies.

People and Culture in Canada

You and your partner will read pages 177-179 Culture together and
complete the People and Culture in Canada Reading Questions by writing
who is being described, what these people/cultures are doing, and where
these people/cultures are.

You will have 15 minutes!

Multiple Choice

What cultural traditions were brought to the United States by
immigrants?

• Different styles of writing and editing.

• Food, music, festivals, languages, and religious practices.

Canada People and Culture (p. 177-179)

Immigration

Who: Mainly from Europe - Britain, Russia, Germany. Asians - China, Japan, and India. Americans also immigrated.

Where: Immigrants came to work in mines, forests, and factories. They helped build the Canadian Pacific Railroad and
mined for gold.

Languages

(Map)

What: English, French, Cree, Inuktitut, Athapaskan

Where: English - Southern Canada, near the US.
French - Southeastern Canada
Cree - Central Canada
Inuktitut - Northern Canada
Athapaskan - Western Canada

Ethnic Groups

(Pie graph)

Who: British Isles Origin (English, Scottish, Welsh, Irish), French, Native Canadians, Asian, African, Arabic

Movement to

Cities

What: After World War 2, many immigrants arrived from Europe and settled in cities. Many people have moved from farms
to cities (urban) areas

Where: Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Vancouver, British Columbia

Check for Understanding

Discussion

Think-Pair-Share

Why do you think many Canadians moved from farms to the

cities?

Summary of Canadian Culture

Canada is a diverse and multicultural country with a unique culture.

Canadians value kindness, inclusivity, and respect for others. Hockey is a popular
sport in Canada, and people enjoy outdoor activities like skiing and hiking.
Canadians celebrate holidays like Canada Day, and they are known for their
delicious food like poutine and maple syrup.

We learned that Canada was greatly influenced by British and French settlement,
the building of the railroad to the Pacific coast, immigration, and movement to
cities.

Multiple Choice

What is cultural diversity?

• Cultural diversity is the presence of multiple cultural groups and their distinct practices within a society.
• Cultural diversity refers to the uniformity of cultural practices in a society.

DOL Time!

Please complete the DOL. Great work today!

Independent Practice: Quick Write

Using the ACE strategy, answer the
following question:

If you were telling someone from another
country who was going to travel/live in the
US/Canada, what would you tell them to
bring or prepare for?