AP Human Geography Unit 3 Vocabulary

Study Notes

Cultural and Linguistic Concepts

Time-space convergence: Increased connectivity among cultures due to advancements in communication technology, notably the internet.
Cultural convergence: Occurs as cultures interact more frequently, leading to similarities, exemplified by the global rise of English.
Cultural divergence: The phenomenon where cultural groups distance themselves to maintain their unique identity and traditions, seen in groups like the Amish and Inuit.

Cultural Groups and Languages

Local culture (folk culture): Refers to the customs and practices of small, traditional, and homogenous communities, often in rural settings.
Loss of indigenous languages: A result of colonialism and various assimilation policies.
Culture hearth: Regions where civilizations begin and their ideas and practices radiate outwards.

Religion and Belief Systems

Civilization: An advanced society characterized by urbanization, record-keeping, technology, and complex institutions.
World religions: Major belief systems that originated from a specific hearth and spread to various regions.
Christianity: Originated in Southwest Asia; significant followers in Europe, the Americas, and Australia, with a current global population of approximately 2.1 billion.
Islam: Also from Southwest Asia; predominantly found in Northern Africa and Southeast Asia, with about 1.3 billion adherents.

Processes of Cultural Transformation

Assimilation: Members of one cultural group adopt aspects of another culture but retain some unique elements. Example: Native Americans learning English.
Acculturation: Individuals acquire the social traits of another group, often blending in without noticeable distinctions, as seen with European immigrants in America.

Additional Religions and Their Characteristics

Hinduism: Originated in South Asia; centered in the Indian subcontinent with around 900 million followers. Notable for beliefs in reincarnation and cultural ties.
Buddhism: Hearth in South Asia; distributed across Southeast and East Asia with approximately 376 million adherents.
Judaism: Founded by Abraham in Southwest Asia, primarily found in North America, Europe, and Israel; about 14 million Jews globally.

Ethnic and Religious Diversity

Ethnic cultures: Groups sharing common heritage, ancestry, language, and rituals, e.g., Greek, Spanish.
Ethnic religion: Focus on indigenous beliefs that do not promote conversion and typically remain near their hearth.

Linguistic Families and Theories

Language family: Group of related languages with a common ancestral language.
Indo-European language family: Believed to derive from Proto-Indo-European, diffused through conquest and agricultural expansion theories.

Socio-Cultural Dynamics

Multiculturalism: Celebrating and respecting various ethnicities within a community, exemplified by cities like New York.
Syncretism: New cultural traits emerge from blending distinct cultures, such as Americanized cuisine.
Placelessness: Loss of unique local characteristics, leading to uniform landscapes due to mass culture and production, evident in the proliferation of strip malls.

Conflict within and between Faiths

Interfaith boundaries: Tensions between major religions, noted in conflicts such as Islam vs. Judaism in Israel.
Intrafaith boundaries: Discrepancies within a single faith, such as the divisions between Sunni and Shia Muslims.

Sacred Spaces

Sacred sites: Locations of religious significance, such as the Dome of the Rock and the Western Wall, highlighting the spiritual importance of specific geographical areas.

Description

Test your knowledge of key terms in AP Human Geography Unit 3, focusing on concepts such as time-space convergence and cultural interactions. This quiz includes definitions that enhance understanding of how cultures influence each other through technology and globalization.