Transcript 8 Elements of Culture - Brandywine Heights Area School

8 Elements of Culture
Mrs. Kercher
7th grade
Social Groups
• Geographers study culture by looking at different
groups of people in a society
– The rich, poor, and middle class
– The young, old
– The men, women
• Geographers look at how people in a culture
treat others who are different
• Most countries include people who belong to
different ethnic groups (groups sharing common
culture, language, and history)
Government
• How a country is governed (laws) reflects
a group’s culture
• Governments ruled by individuals
– Monarchy – kings and queens
– Dictatorship – 1 person in control
– Democracy - ruled by groups (people)
• Many countries have mixed forms
Economy
• Geographers look at how people in a
culture earn a living and its economic
system: set of rules for how people decide
what goods and services are produced
and distributed.
– Traditional
– Market (Free Enterprise)
– Command
Religion
• Helps people to answer basic questions
about the meaning of life
• Beliefs vary around the world.
• Fighting over religion causes problems in
many countries.
• World religions include: Buddhism,
Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, and Judiasm
Language
• People use language to share information.
• Language is the strongest unifying force
for a culture.
• Language differences – dialect – a local
form of a language that differs from the
main language – pronunciation and
meanings differ
– Soft drinks – “pop” or “soda”
– Sandwiches – “hoagie” or “sub”
The Arts
• People express their culture through the
arts.
• Paintings, sculptures, architecture, dance,
music, and theater
• Poetry, writings, and various forms of
literature
• By studying the arts of a culture,
geographers can see what the people
view as beautiful and important
History
• A culture group shares a common history
that shapes their view of the world.
• Remember the successes, celebrations of
holidays honoring heroes and heroines
– Reveals characteristics of importance
• Remember dark periods of disaster and
defeat
• Influences how a group sees and views
itself
Daily Life
• What people eat and how they eat reflects
one’s culture
• What people wear
• Types of homes they live in
• Types of jobs, entertainment, and
education