AP Human Geography: Chapter 4 Folk & Popular Culture

A repetitive act that a particular individual performs. Example: Wearing a hat everyday.

A repetitive act that a group performs to the extent where it becomes the characteristic of the group. Example: Baseball fans wear hats everyday.

Culture traditionally practiced in small, homogeneous, rural group living in relative isolation from other groups. Example: Songs holding information on farming.

Culture found in a large, heterogeneous society that shares certain habits despite differences in other personal characteristics. Example: Soccer

A restriction on behaviour imposed by social custom. Example: Eating pork for Muslims.

The contribution of a locations distinctive physical features to the way a food tastes. Example: Wines from different locations have different tastes.

Folk Culture can usually be found from unknown hearths by unidentified originators from multiple or isolated locations.

Popular culture are a result of MDC's, some examples are food and music. They come from a mixture of industrial technology and leisure time.

Folk Music conveys information about daily activities, life cycle events and are familiar to a group of people (village). Example: In Vietnam there are songs convey farming techniques (agriculture technology).

Popular music is written to be sold to a large number of people(global).

Tin Pan Alley is a music district in New York, named from the tinkering of pianos. Mass production of song sheets. Home to songwriters, music publishers and etc. Closed down because recorded music > song sheets.

Recorded music was diffused primarily through the Armed Force Radio Network (WW2) when they were stationed around the world. This also spread English. Many songs in popular culture are sung in English, even those from foreign countries, like Japan or Sweden.

Originated in New York by low-income African Americans. Demonstrated intermingling of globalisation and local diversity.

Folk culture is transmitted slowly, primarily through migration. Example: The Bantu tribes who migrated all over the African coast spread agricultural knowledge and technology.

Popular culture is spread through electronics, eg. 1940's - The Armed Forces Radio Network, Today - Online. It is spread through "nodes of innovation" like Hollywood (Movies) and Madison Center, New York (Advertising)

Their population is a quarter of a million, and they shun technology. Introduced first by Jakob Amman in Switzerland, he migrated Northwest to flee religious persecution. Went in 2 waves both because of cheap land. The first wave to Pennsylvania, the second to Ohio and Illinois.

They migrated for 2 reasons: 1. They needed land for their sons which was too expensive in certain areas. 2. To flee from peering tourists.

First started in England - "Kick the Dane's Head". Younf boys started to pick it up and used animal bladders. Games between villages looked like mobs. King Henry banned it because it disturbed village life, but King James legalised it.

Recreation clubs permitted soccer as activities during leisure times for factory workers. People started going professional for high paying spectators. Several clubs formed an association and standardised rules and arrange games. Workers immigrating to other countries introduced the game to other workers.

The common element in professional sports is the willingness of people to play, watch and pay.

2 necessities in life are food and shelter, they demonstrate the influence of the environment and folk culture.

Food habits are strongly based on environmental factors; soil, terrain, vegetation. Example: Bostans in Turkey are famous for their mass production every year at every season. This is because the people adapt to the soil and weather conditions when planting.

People will adapt their food preferences based on what their environment. Example: Italy has quick fry food because of fuel shortages.

People will sometimes refuse to eat a particular food that embody negative traits (taboo). Example: Hebrews will only eat animals that chew their own cud and have cloven foods. (Kosher)

Houses are product of culture and environmental conditions. They reflect 1. Heritage, 2. Current Fashion, 3. Environment and Needs.

Building materials that are used are based on available resources.

Even though houses in different regions might be in close proximity of each other they will still have major differences due to minor environmental features. Example: Sloped roofs in rainy areas, flat roofs in dry areas.

1. Buddhists(North) - Divine figure that reflects inhospitable environment. 2. Hindus(South) Deity and local town scenes. 3. Muslims (West) Flowers and plants, no animate object. 4. Animists(East) - Symbols of religion.

Some homes have special areas which are considered sacred, some examples are walls and corners. There are certain direction people are allowed to sleep in correlation to roads and rivers.

Pioneer homes have varied through regions based on migration. 1. Lower Chesapeake - spread along the southeast. 2. The Middle Atlantic - Migrants went to the Appalachian Trail and Valley 3. New England - Northward towards new England. House distinctions aren't as common now, because houses are made by construction companies.

Popular culture flourishes in MDC's from: 1. High Income 2. Time 3. The want to adopt popular culture.

1. Basis of food/alcohol preference is due to where. Most people only eat local foods in their region. Example: Upper South US drinks a lot of Bourban where it is produced. 2. Cultural backgrounds (Religion + Advertisement) Example: Utah has a low alcohol rate because of the prominent church of latter-day saints. 3. Geographers can't explain regional variations but in the end it is because of income and national advertising.

1. The different characteristics depends on the combination of physical features. (Soil and Climate). Wine is grown on hillsides to drain water. 2. Wines can be determined by regions. Experts can determine origin based on minerals and grape type. 3. Wine distribution is based primarily on cultural values (Historical and Contemporary). Example: Made in locations where people enjoy wine. Wine making in Medieval Europe for rituals.

Individual clothing habits reflect: 1. Availability of income 2. Social forms (Jobs)

1. Reflects Occupation 2. Higher Income - People with a sufficient amount of money can afford to update clothing many times. 3. Improved Global Network - People can have designs sent and receive clothes in the masses very easily. 4. Raising Folk Awareness - with the increased travel and media people see folk cultures and merge it into popular customs.

1. Provokes the image of youthful independence 2. Jeans evoke the "west" - During communist rebellions people were encouraged to wear jeans. 3. Levi's - An american brand that closed shop in America but has many shops in foreign countries.

In the US, houses often change due to the fashion. 1. Modern House (Geometric chapes) 2. Neo-eclectic (More colonial)

Television and the internet is especially significant in popular custom: 1. most popular activity during leisure time 2. Important mechanism of rapid diffusion. 1954 - Americans had 87% of the televisions/internet in the world. 1970 - Rapid Growth in Europe 2005 - MDC's all have similar rate of television and internet.

Popular culture is a threat to folk culture because the ideas of western styles = 1. the loss of folk culture for wester ideals, 2. turning away from traditional values.

There is a threat of folk culture because of western ideals adn the desire for foreign customs. 1. Styles of clothing change. - Western Style Clothing 2. Negative Impacts on Women - More prostitution because it encourages foreign currency.

Popular media from MDC's is considered dangerous for LDC governments. Most LDC's are a lot more conservative than countries like the US, and criticise the US for their freedom. LDC's tend to block certain channels and lag programs so they can blur certain images that might provoke "the west".

1. Increased demand for Natural Resources - there is a depletion of natural sources like minerals and fossil fuels needed to mass produce popular products. 2. Pollution - Because of the fast changes in popular trends, many things get thrown away and there is a lot of solid waste that the earth cannot absorb, therefore leaving huge rubbish piles.