Understanding Culture
Culture – the way of life of a people, including their beliefs and practices
Cultural landscape – the parts of a people’s environment that they have shaped and the
technology they have used to shape it
Institution – a custom or organization with social, educational, or religious purposes
Section Assessment
1b. What are the most important cultural traits that shape a people’s cultural landscape?
The most important cultural traits that shape a people’s cultural landscape are their
customs, ideas, and ways of doing things.
1c. If two cultures occupy similar environments, why might their cultural landscapes still differ?
Their landscapes might still differ because of the way they have developed and applied
technology, or because of their customs.
2a. What was the Agricultural Revolution?
The Agricultural Revolution marked a great change in human history when people began
growing crops and taming wild animals. They began to depend more on farming for food
than hunting and gathering.
2b. What cultural advances followed the Agricultural Revolution?
The cultural advances that followed the Agricultural Revolution were rise of population,
growth of excess crops, development of writing, and the institution of laws and
government.