The Seven Elements of Culture
Culture:
The way a group
of people live
their lives
American culture?
Do we have
one? Why or
why not?
Language: The Cornerstone…
Communication
History
Conflict resolution
Trade
Relationships
Life would be
difficult without it
Economic Systems…
Help societies figure
out how they are going
to distribute or allocate
scarce resources that
people need in order
to survive
What will be
produced?
Who will produce it?
How will it be
produced?
How does American
society answer these
questions?
Types of Economic Systems
Traditional: the group
answers the questions
Market (Capitalist): the
individuals answer the
questions
Command: the
government answers
the questions
Mixed: the
government and the
individuals answer the
questions
Religion… Answers questions too…
Polytheists
Monotheists
Way of life
Value system
Sense of
community
Unifies and divides
Social Organization
Family Patterns
Nuclear, Single,
Extended
Social Classes
Upper Middle Class
Middle Class
Lower Middle Class
Underclass:Poverty
Forms of Government
Democracy:
By and for the people
Republic
Who holds positions of power
in society? Who makes
decisions about what
should be done and when?
Dictatorship:
One person or a small group
of people make decisions
Arts and Literature
Are products of the
human imagination
They please and
entertain us
Dance,
photography,
music, acting,
poetry, novels,
plays
Customs and Traditions
Rules of behavior:
what we do, accepted
habits and hobbies
Social Norms:
manners, interacting
with one another
Laws that regulate
what is right and
wrong: breaking and
following the laws