Cultural Diffusion WGeo

Cultural Diffusion &

Convergence

Patterns of Diffusion

Diffusion: spread of plants, animals,
goods, & ideas to new regions
�Physical geography (natural

barriers) prevent/slow diffusion

New Products: travelers and
merchants bring back to homelands
�Results in: increase trade +

competition

New Technologies: spread rapidly
�Learned through travel,

newspapers, television, phone, etc.

�Cell phones = more rapid spread,

even to less developed nations

Spread
of New
Ideas

Religious beliefs & political ideas spread to other cultures

[Ex: Islam] Arab people brought to rest of Middle East,
North Africa, and Spain.

[Ex: Democracy] Spread to Europe (France) after US won
independence in the American Revolution

Spread of
Cultural
Traits

Other elements of culture can spread
from one region to another
Ex: Clothing fashions, art styles, ways
of cooking food, music

Pandemics:

Spread of Disease

•Sometimes diffusion can have
negative effects
•Today we live in an
interconnected world: people
travel more than ever to all
parts of the globe
•Mass production and global
distribution of foods makes it
easier for illnesses to spread

Cultural

Divergence

✔When societies become

increasingly dissimilar over time

✔Due to exposure to new ideas

through cultural diffusion

✔Physical barriers separate people

= different cultures

•Different cultures become
similar or come together
•[Ex: Colombian
Exchange] European
ideas and customs
merged with Native
American traditions =
new “Latin American”
culture
•Globalization: each
society borrows/adapts
what it finds best in other
societies = a common
global culture

Cultural
Convergence

Multiple Choice

This man "discovered" the "New World" of the Americas in 1492.

• Hernan Cortes

• Francisco Pizarro

• Christopher Columbus

• Donald Trump

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is NOT an example of the old world?

• North America

• Europe

• Africa

• Asia

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is the definition of Globalization

• the Columbian Exchange

• The increasing interconnectedness of the world

• People moving to cities and cities growing

• Countries owning other countries

Multiple Choice

Which of the following plants came from the new world to change the old world's diet?

• Tomatoes

• Sugar

• Bananas

• Grapes

Multiple Choice

Which group of people was brought to the new world to be a labor force for the new cash crops they would be harvesting?

• The Dallas Cowboys

• Native Americans

• African Slaves

• Jewish Slaves

Multiple Choice

The introduction of which animal to the new world fundamentally changed the society of multiple groups of indigenous peoples by allowing them to hunt large herds of buffalo?

• the chicken

• the sheep

• The lion

• The horse