Political and Cultural Geography

The way of life of a group of people who share similar ways of thinking, believing and living, expressed in common elements or features. (language, religion, daily life, history, art, government, technology, and economy)

• Culture

• society

• ethnic group

• innovation

A group of people who share language, history, or place of origin.

• market economy

• political system

• ethnic group

• religion

the spread of ideas, inventions, or patterns of behavior to other societies.

• religion

• cultural diffusion

• cultural boundary

• less developed country

the heartland of place of origin of a major culture; a site of innovation from which basic ideas, materials, and technology diffuse to other cultures.

• state
• nation
• cultural hearth
• suburb

large groups of languages having similar roots

• diffusion

• language families

• innovation

• invention

the belief in a supernatural power or powers that are regarded as the creators and maintainers of the universe, as well as the system of beliefs itself.

• shinto
• taoism
• christianity
• religion

A form of government in which all key powers are divided between the national government and state or provincial governments. In the United States you can not amend the constitution without 2/3 of congress and 3/4 of the states.

• unitary system

• theocracy

• federal system

• monarchy

a type of government in which citizens hold political power either directly or through elected representatives.

• monarchy
• dictatorship
• democracy
• communism

a type of government in which a ruling family headed by a king or queen holds political power and may or may not share the power with the citizen bodies.

• democracy
• socialism
• monarchy
• dictatorship

a type of government in which an individual or a group holds complete political power.

• democracy
• republic
• dictatorship
• socialism