<aside> 💡 From this unit, you must know…
Review from Cultural Diffusion
Culture spreads, combine, and split apart. This is a natural process.
Definition
Diffusion – Process of spatial exchange in which ideas, products, and cultural traits spread from one place to another
Convergence – Different cultures acquire common ideas, products, and traits, becoming more similar.
Culture spread through three ways:
| Trade | Conquest | Preservation |
|---|---|---|
| Culture is spread through knowledge, tradition, and goods. Throughout history, merchants have been the backbone of cultural exchange. | As people move to new areas through war, their culture spreads with them. | Active efforts are made to preserve cultural artifacts and knowledge in museums and libraries. |
| Example: The Silk Road | ||
| The Silk Road was an ancient trade route that linked the Western world with the Middle East and Asia. | Example: The Mongol Empire | |
| The Mongol Empire brought ideas of empire and centralized power to Southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. | Example: The Umayyad Caliphate | |
| This Islamic kingdom recorded and preserved Western literature in the 8th Century |
Cultural Assimilation: The process in which a minority group or culture comes to resemble a dominant group
Example: The Cultural Assimilation of Native Americans
Americanization advocates formulated a policy to encourage the so-called "civilizing process". Traditional religious practices were banned, and children were forced to learn English and American norms in mandatory boarding schools.