Geography Benchmark D: Culture/Culture Regions

James is studying different societies around the world. He notices that in some cultures, people have unique ways of greeting each other, special foods they eat, and particular styles of dress. He wants to know what these shared characteristics are called.

What is Culture Traits?

• The shared beliefs, values, practices, behaviors, and technologies of a society

• Visible and invisible attributes that combine to make up a group's culture

• Visible, physical objects created by a culture

• The ways in which a society behaves and organizes institutions

Abigail is visiting a new country and notices the unique ways people greet each other, the foods they eat, the holidays they celebrate, and the technologies they use. She wants to understand what ties all these things together in this society. What is Culture?

• The shared beliefs, values, practices, behaviors, and technologies of a society

• Visible and invisible attributes that combine to make up a group's culture

• Visible, physical objects created by a culture

• The ways in which a society behaves and organizes institutions

Emma is studying a world map that highlights countries where French is spoken. She notices that many of these countries are far from France and wonders why French is still used in these places. How does the map illustrate global diffusion of the French language from its cultural hearth in Paris?

• The map shows how French-language movies, music, and literature dominate global entertainment media.

• The map shows how France was an ancient-culture hearth from which the French language spread through expansion diffusion.

• The map shows how in many areas of the former French empire the language persists despite the independence of former colonies.

• The map shows how French civil servants established schools in many parts of the French colonial empire.

Priya visits a small village in the mountains where the community celebrates unique festivals, wears traditional clothing, and follows customs passed down for generations. The people here live in close-knit groups and rarely interact with outsiders. What type of culture is Priya experiencing?

• Small, homogenous (similar) groups of people, often living in rural areas that are isolated and are unlikely to change

• Large, heterogenous (different/mixed) groups of people, often living in urban areas that are interconnected through globalization

Mason is studying different types of culture for his Human Geography class. He notices that some cultures are found in large, diverse cities and are shared by people all over the world through things like music, fashion, and social media. What type of culture is Mason learning about?

• Small, homogenous (similar) groups of people, often living in rural areas that are isolated and are unlikely to change

• Large, heterogenous (mixed/various) groups of people, often living in urban areas that are interconnected through globalization

Grace visits a new country and notices that everyone greets each other with a bow instead of a handshake. She learns that this is an expected way to show respect in that culture. What are Cultural Norms?

• Behaviors heavily discouraged by a culture

• Agreed upon cultural practices or standards that guide the behavior of a culture

When Harper visited a new country, she noticed that certain behaviors were heavily discouraged by the local people, even though they were not illegal. What are these types of behaviors called?

• Behaviors heavily discouraged by a culture

• Agreed upon cultural practices or standards that guide the behavior of a culture

David notices that a new Internet meme is rapidly spreading across various social media platforms, being shared by people from different countries and cultures. Which of the following is the best example of the diffusion of popular culture throughout the world in modern society?

• The increasing popularity of a fashion trend that originates in a large city, such as New York, and spreads to small rural towns

• The spread of an Internet meme via social media applications

• The spread of a religion through the migration of adherents of the religion

• The increasing popularity of a new band that spends a year touring cities around the world

Kai is studying a map that shows the locations where major world cultures first developed and spread their traits to other regions. He wants to know what the term is for the geographic origin of a culture, where traits first diffuse from. What is this called?

• Largest group of related languages which are connected through a common, ancient ancestry and trace back to a common hearth

• Collection of languages that share a common origin from thousands of years ago. They were separated from other languages in their family

• Collection of languages that share a more recent past with similar vocabularies and some overlap

• The geographic origin of a culture. Traits first diffuse from the cultural hearth

Oliver is studying how different cultures have spread their ideas, languages, and traditions across the world throughout history. Which of the following are historic causes of cultural diffusion that Oliver might learn about? CHECK ALL THAT APPLY

• Colonialism/Imperialism

• Military Conquest

• Trade

• Migration