Human Geography

1. Human Geography Chapter 2

2. setting the stage… • Reviewing the meaning, components, structure of culture • Processes of cultural change, diffusion, divergence • Dynamic processes

3. culture (social science definition) • Specialized behavioral patterns, understandings, adaptations, and social systems that summarize a group of people’s learned way of life

4. culture is….. • Learned, not biological • Transmitted within a society to next generations by imitation, tradition, instruction

5. culture provides…. • a “general framework” • each individual learns & adheres to general rules • also to specific sub-groups: • age, sex, status, occupation, nationality

6. Subcultures co-exist • Masculine / feminine • Rural / rural • Different ethnicities • Joined by common traditions, behaviors, loyalties, beliefs • Christmas • Church attendance on Sunday

7. culture is dynamic…. • External influences • Cultural exchange • Generational • Technology • Environmental • HIV/AIDS • Global warming

8. cultural variables.. micro-macro • 1. Cultural traits – most elementary • Expression of culture, the smallest distinctions • Behavior • Object • Beliefs • Attitudes • these “building blocks” = a culture complex

9. culture complex • Individual cultural traits that are functionally interrelated • Masai of Kenya – cultural traits centered on cattle • American football – sports culture

10. culture region • Portion of the Earth’s surface occupied by populations sharing recognizable distinctive cultural characteristics • Political organizations/boundaries • Religions • Economy type

11. cultural realm • A set of cultural regions showing related cultural complexes and landscapes • Large region that has assumed fundamental uniformity in its cultural characteristics and showing significant differences from surrounding realms

12. culture realms

13. globalization • Interconnection of all parts of world • International scale of social, cultural, political, economic processes • Homogenization of cultures • Integrated economies • Standardization • Persistent regional descriptions • Adaptations to accommodate cultural preferences

14. interaction of people and environment….. • Cultural ecology – study of the relationship between a culture group and the natural environment it occupies • Arid regions versus humid regions • Indian acorn culture

15. environmental determinism…?? • The belief that the physical environment alone determines how humans are, their actions, their thoughts • Environment alone cannot account for cultural variations • Environment places certain limitations on human use of land • Not absolute due to technology, ideologies • Indian acorn culture versus Inca civilization

16. possibilism • Viewpoint that people, not environments are the dynamic forces that cause cultural development • Noting world’s population location: • Evidence of nature of limits of environment • Majority of people located in regions with certain characteristics • Mild climates, supply of fresh water, fertile soil, mineral resources

17. ecumene:Major areas of permanent inhabitation • Continental margins (coastal regions) • 2/3’s of total human population live within 300 miles of the ocean • Low-lying fertile delta lands (along rivers)

18. where DON’T humans live (without supporting technology) ??? • Rocky coasts • Cold regions • Areas with infertile soils • Mountains / deserts • Tropical lowlands, swampy land, forested disease-infected river valleys

19. nonecumene:Major regions in the world • The “hollow continent” - South America • The “empty quarter” – Arabian Peninsula • The Amazon Basin • The Sahara Desert • Antarctica / Arctic / Siberia

21. population distribution • 90 % of all people live north of the Equator • 2/3 of this total are in the mid-latitudes of 20 – 60 degrees north (most temperate) • More than ½ the world population lives on only 5% of the earth’s land • 2/3 live on 10% • 9/10 on less than 20%

22. East Asia – Japan, China, Taiwan, South Korea Largest – both in area and numbers 25% of world population South Asia – India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka Second largest 21% of world population 6.2+ billion humans – The largest concentrations (Four major regions)

23. Europe – southern, western, eastern through the Ukraine 13% of the world population Northeastern United States and Southeastern Canada Smallest concentration human concentrations

24. human impact on the environment • Geography examines: • human reactions to environment • human impacts on environment • Cultural landscape • the earth’s surface as modified by human action • physical record of a culture • House types • Transportation networks • Size & distribution of settlement

25. human actions… deliberate & accidental Moa – New Zealand 17th century • Vegetation • Altered, replaced, denuded • Animal species • Extinctions, marginalized • Fertile regions transformed • unproductive, polluted, degraded landscapes

26. fire - perhaps the first great tool • Fire control by hunter-gather groups • Grasslands = herds of grazing animals • Chase out game • Protect themselves at night from animals • Fire control today – • Some land reverting to forest • Also natural fires (lightening strikes) allowed to burn • Provides opportunity for more diversity

27. looking at roots of culture • Earlier humans were more impacted by physical environment

28. 11,000 years ago retreat of massive glaciers (end of Paleolithic period) • Ice melted – released moisture • Expanding • Vegetation & animals • Spreading populations

29. 3 waves of development following retreat of glaciers • Basic hunter & gather groups • Development of agriculture/animal husbandry • Urbanization/industrialization

30. Paleolithic period – to 11,000 BC • Hunter & gather groups • Retreating glaciers • Spreading & isolation = cultural divergence

31. hunter & gather groups • Small, scattered groups, pre-agricultural • Dependent on natural food sources • Primitive stone tools & weapons • Population estimate: 5 to 10 million • Spread to all continents except Antarctica

32. human migration

33. carrying capacity • Hunter & gather groups =large territories for small numbers • Relative isolation = cultural divergence • Some contact = trading, socializing, spouse selection • Groups of about 20 to 40 individuals

34. expansion & spread • New innovations • Encountering new environmental problems, materials, resources • Accelerated differentiation • Spreading increased cultural contrasts • New environments = cultural change • New tools, words, lifestyles

35. hunter & gather lifestyle • Hunting & foraging process • Not so demanding of time and energy • Estimates for Bushmen: survival requires a 2½ day workweek • Time available • Development of tools, art, language, religion, trade, permanent settlements, social stratifications

36. impacts on environment • Increasing populations • Depleted the large herds • Herds were migrating northward • Need for new food bases • Plant & animal domestication

37. Mesolithic period – 11,000 to 5,000 BC • Moving into the Agricultural Revolution • Transition from food collecting to food production – • Transition to sedentary lifestyle • Plant & animal domestication • Profound changes in tools, tasks, social complexities • Foods remained regional

38. agricultural origins…. • Spanning 1,000s of years • Nile floodplain – 18,500 years ago • Americas (Mexico) – 5,000 years ago • Helter-skelter fashion • Females considered primary players • Development of crop production • Innovators of technology • Perhaps evolved out of plant gathering & nurturing

39. domestication – 40° N to 40° S

40. migration of first farmers • 10,000 years ago • Out of the Middle East • Spread rate = 5/8ths mile per year

41. Neolithic period – 8,000 to 5,000 BC • Agricultural Revolution – into full swing • Cultural hearths/civilizations • Technological & social innovations • Plow • Irrigation • Draft animals

42. civilizations – economies based on agriculture • Surplus of food • Expanding populations • Innovations: • Spinning, weaving • Potter wheel, brick making, construction • Mining, smelting, casing metals

43. cultural hearths

44. development of civilizations…beginning around 5,000 BC • 1. Agriculture • 2. Government • 3. Religion • 4. Specialization

45. beginnings of urbanization • Cultural hearths varied • Rural, urban, sea-faring, commerce based • Development of stratified societies • Artisans, warriors/armies, merchants, scholars, priests, administrators • Astronomy, mathematics, calendar

46. cultural change…. • In constant state of change • Can be dramatic, or less pronounced periods • Can be large or small • No phones to cell phones….. less than one century • Subsistence agriculture to agro-business industry • 3 ways of change

47. 1. innovation • Introduction of new ideas, practices, or objects; usually, an alteration of custom or culture that originates within the social group itself • For example an invention: • Material: bow & arrow, gun, steam engine • Non-material: Christianity, capitalism

48. how does innovation happen??? • Characteristically pre-modern, traditional societies are not innovative • Equilibrium, so no motivation • Always resistance to change • Usually innovation occurs under pressure, stress • Today gas is $3.00 + • Food pressures

49. 2. diffusion • Process by which an idea/innovation is transmitted from one individual/group to another across space • 2 processes • Relocation - migration • Expansion - spread of information/innovation

50. diffusion processes • Relocation diffusion: • The innovation or idea is physically carried to new areas by migrating individuals or populations • Expansion diffusion: • Contagious • Hierarchical • Stimulus