Culture+Notes

I. CultCultural Traditions and Cultural Diffusion
a. culture: people’s whole way of life-Rel/val/cus/mus/lit/tech/pol

A. Studying Cultures of the Past
1. prehistoric cultures: no written record 2. artifacts: objects left behind 3. radiocarbon dating: determines age of cut. facts 4. oral traditions: stories

1. Prehistoric Societies a. small groups b. migrate to find food c. economic activities: fishing, hunting, gathering-later farming-nomadic-sedimentary d. tools: stone, wood, bone, later metal

B. Elements of Culture
1. Religion and values 2. Language a. # of world: over 3000 b. #of major languages: 19 c. original, imposed, or adopted
 * 1) reincarnation: souls come back in another form (better or worse)

3. Social Organization 4. Economic systems a. def.: means of production and distribution Of goods and services b. __traditional__ economy 1. ways unchanged 2. children follow parents occupation 3. subsistance production c. __market__ economy: “capitalism” 1. businesses compete 2. consumers determine demand 3. free enterprise system 4. some government regulation 5. example: USA d. __command__ economy 1. decisions made by gov’t 2. control all major industries 3. “socialism”-means of production owned by people 4. “communism” = socialism + dictatorship- USSR/China/Cuba/N. Korea 5. “welfare states” a. gov’t provides social services-Can/GB/most W. Europe 6. Ex: USSR, China (under Mao), North Korea
 * 1) basic unit: family
 * 2) extended family: several generations of relatives
 * 3) nuclear family: immediate family
 * 4) clan: large family of relatives
 * 5) influence on values: parents/schools/church/govt/media/music/books/newspapers/mags

4. Political systems b. __absolute monarchy__- all power in one person-hereditary 1. ex Saudi Arabia c. __constitutional monarchy__- ruler limited by law 1. ex Spain/GB/Neth d__. democracy-__ 1. based on consent of people 2. protection of rights 3. “direct” democracy: people vote on all issues 4. “indirect” democracy: people elect representatives to make laws e. __dictatorship__ 1. total control 2. seize power rather than inherit 3. use force to keep peace 1. state controls all aspects of people lives
 * 1) def.: way people govern themselves
 * 1) __ totalitarian regimes __

===//A. ////Cultural Diffusion//=== 1. def: process of spreading ideas, and practices 1. How done in the past? a. via trade, conquest 2. How done today? a. TV, Newspapers, magazines, internet, travel ===B. Ethnocentrism=== 1. def: belief that ones culture is superior 2. ex. from past: Romans, Chinese, Japanese, Nazi Germany 3. ex. Today: former Yugoslavia, Serbs, Croats, Bosnians, Muslims 4. ethnic cleansing: deliberate removal of a particular group of people ==I. Innovation and Leadership== 1. Problems faced by societies today: 1. def: advancements/changes in the tools we use 2. technology: tools that we use 3. innovation: new processes in technology 4. complex society: elaborate gov’t/organized society 5. ex. of technological innovations a. ancient Mesopotamia: irrigation b. China: writing c. Western Europe: printing press // Individual Genius and Leadership // religious leaders a. Siddharta Gautama b. Confucius c. Jesus d. Moses e. Mohammed political leaders a. Genghis Khan b. Peter the Great c. Queen Elizabeth I d. Napoleon Bonaparte e. Mohandas Gandhi f. Simon Bolivar g. Mao Zedong h. Nelson Mandela i. Corazon Aquino j. George Washington ==II. Dynamics of Change== How and why changes have taken place A. //Age of Exploration// 1. produced //expanded trade//, //constant interaction// between nations // B. Revolutions in Modern Times // 1. what? Attempts to bring about changes within a country from within/outside 2. result? Violent social and political upheavals 3. why occur? Gov’ts fail to meet the needs of the people Revolutions for national independence where: American colonies 1776, Haiti 1800, throughout Latin America 1810-1822, force for change: nationalistic sentiments Social Revolutions def: one social group attempts to replace another in power a. where: France 1789, Russia 1917 Industrial Revolution def: change in the way that goods are produced where: began in 18th century England impact: mass production of goods ==III. Interdependence in our times a.k.a. Globalization == def: nations reliance of upon other nations for goods and services advantages today: more goods for more people problems created: pollution, terrorism, unemployment,
 * 1) // Technological Innovation //