Welcome to AP Human Geography
•Factual writing:
•Give data when available
•Use specific examples
•Do not repeat the same idea over and over
•No value statement or editorials.
•Avoid words such as ‘better’, ‘worse’, ‘great’
•Write in third person. Do not write things like:
•“as you can see…”
•“you know what I mean…”
•“I think that….”
•Instead write:
•“It is possible to see…”
•Explain what you mean. Assume that I do not know anything
about HG”
Lets use a video game as an example.
Question: “Identify, explain and evaluate one of the first video games
invented.” Why was it popular? Is there evidence of its popularity?
What: the same as identify (what is the question asking?)
How: the same as explain and describe.
Why: evaluate here you need to say the reasons something is the way it is.
What specific examples or data can you sue to support your answer?
Where: if applicable, explain where do you see this evidence
Remember: Establish the cause-effect relationship

What?
 Identify a game: Pac Man was the most popular game
in the 70s

How:
 a yellow monster had to eat all the other little
monsters in it way until the screen is empty

Why?
 Win points and keep on playing for free. It became
very popular in the U.S. and other countries

Where:
 Pin ball machines and very old fashioned computers.
Later on ATARI

(WHAT) One of the first and most popular video
games created was Pac Man. (HOW) In this
game there was a yellow monster that ate
cherries until the screen is clean. The purpose is
to earn points and keep playing for free.
(WHY)This game became very popular in both
the U.S. and other countries because it was easy
to play and colorful. (WHERE) People played it in
Pinball machines, old fashioned computers and
ATARI.
"...Since the inception of the telegraph and radio, the globe has
contracted, spatially, into a single large village.” McLuhan,
Marshall. Understanding Media.
 Marshall McLuhan was a Canadian communications expert and
educator who wrote about trends in globalization. As a
technological determinist, he believed that modern
communication transformed society. He emphasized the influence
of electronic media, such as television and computers, on
societies. He reasoned that the advent of such technology led to
the creation of a common culture shared by people around the
world.
1. Describe what McLuhan meant by the term “global village.”
2. Describe two examples that illustrate McLuhan’s concept of a
global village.
3. Identify diffusion and give two examples of types of diffusion that
spread global culture.



The question has three parts. Address each part
independently (as a new question)
Part A: Describe what McLuhan meant by the term
“global village.”
 What? Global Village: the feel of a small community that
involves the entire world.
 How: Internet: (describe) by making communication
between one place an another immediate/instantaneous
 Why? because relative distance is nonexistent or closer
because of faster communication. Absolute distance has
shrunk
 Where: everywhere around the world

Part B: Describe two examples that illustrate
McLuhan’s concept of a global village.
 What? Coke
 How? Multinational companies. Bottling companies.
 Why: because it is faster for the idea to spread and
create the need in another country. Because it is
easier for a company to operate in many countries at
the same time with the use of telephone, internet.
 Where: everywhere around the world

Part C: Identify diffusion and give two examples of
types of diffusion that spread global culture. .
 What? Define Diffusion: hierarchical and relocation
 How? Spreading from one country to another with,
Youtube, Television programs. Give examples:
Relocation diffusion and tacos
 Why: when people move they bring their cultural
traits and it can permeate into the host society
 Where: in our hometown we may have Mexican
restaurants.

Part A: . Describe what McLuhan meant by the term “global village.”
The world has become a global village thanks to technological advances such as the
Internet(what). The reason for this it is easier to connect form one place to another (how).
Technology has made places closer because it has changed the 'absolute location and
distance of a place. With technology such as the Internet, the relative location has become
instantaneous" (why)

Part B: . Describe TWO examples that illustrate McLuhan’s concept of a global village.

A good examples of global village is the selling and use of Coke around the globe. It is
possible to find Coke in almost any country. Coca Cola company is a multinational company
that sell s and distributes coke to many countries. This is possible because people learn
about coke through media such as TV and want the product. For the company it is easy to
manage offices in other countries with the use of technology such as telephone and
internet. Therefore they can sell their product all around the world.

Part c: . Identify diffusion and give two examples of types of diffusion that spread global
culture.
Diffusion is the spread of an idea or good. There are two types of diffusion, relocation an
contagious. Relocation diffusion is what happens when one person migrates from their
country to another. They bring their ideas with them. For instance, when Mexicans moved
to the U.S., they brought with them the food they eat such as tacos. Now it is easy to find
Mexican restaurants in the U.S. and many Americans eat Tacos.

•Please go ahead and work on your assignment.
•Part A is completed. You may copy from it and/or
create your own.
•Part B and C: you have one example here. You
have to come up with the second example for each
B and C.
• Submit your assignments for a grade once you
are done.