AP Human Geography : Cultural & Vernacular Regions
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Example Questions
Example Question #161 : Cultural Patterns & Processes
The cultural hearth of Islam is found in __________.
Lebanon
Iraq
Iran
Saudi Arabia
Syria
Saudi Arabia
Although all of these nations have an Islamic majority, the question asks which of them is the “cultural hearth.” A “cultural hearth” is a point from which a widespread culture originates. Islamic culture is widespread around North Africa and the Middle East - and can be found in many other areas of the world as well. But, the point of origin for this culture is Mecca and Medina, two cities found in modern-day Saudi Arabia.
Example Question #162 : Cultural Patterns & Processes
Which of these is not considered a macro-cultural region of Asia?
Indic
Sino-Japanese
Islamic
Central Steppe
Southeast Asian
Central Steppe
All of these are considered macro-cultural regions of Asia except “Central Steppe.” The Central Steppe is a term that could theoretically be used to describe the Great Plains, or “steppes,” of Central Asia (such as Mongolia), but most of this territory falls under the broad category of “Sino-Japanese.”
Example Question #1 : Cultural & Vernacular Regions
Africa is fairly evenly divided between which two macro-cultural regions?
Islamic and Christian
Saharan and Sub-Saharan African
Indic and Slavic
Islamic and Sub-Saharan African
European and Sub-Saharan African
Islamic and Sub-Saharan African
The continent of Africa is fairly evenly divided between Islamic (in the North of the continent) and Sub-Saharan African. The Islamic macro-cultural region also includes much of the Middle East. Although it is true that the continent of Africa is divided between a Muslim dominated north and a Christian dominated south, “Christian” is not the name of a macro-cultural region that is frequently used by cultural geographers.
Example Question #4 : Cultural & Vernacular Regions
The cultural geographic theory known as “Conquest Theory” is intended to explain __________.
the rise of Christianity and Islam
the importance of Latin in academic circles
the spread of the English language around the world
the dominance of the Indo-European language family
the cultural impact of the United States in the twentieth century
the dominance of the Indo-European language family
The “Conquest Theory” was developed to explain the dominance of the Indo-European language family. More than half of the world’s population speaks some form of an Indo-European language. According to the Conquest Theory this is because the original speakers of this language group spread westward, rapidly overpowering previous inhabitants of much of Europe and Asia. The people of this region then, several hundred years, spread outwards around the world conquering new territories and spreading their languages to new continents.
Example Question #1 : Cultural & Vernacular Regions
In which of these regions is Slavic culture predominantly found?
Southern Europe and the Middle East
Western Europe and North Africa
Eastern Europe and Russia
North America and the Caribbean
East Asia and South Asia
Eastern Europe and Russia
Some cultural geographers divide the world into a series of macro-cultural regions. The “Slavic” culture is found predominantly in Eastern Europe and Russia. Other "macro-cultural" regions include Anglo-America, Western Europe, South Asia, and East Asia.
Example Question #3 : Cultural & Vernacular Regions
San Francisco's Chinatown, a centralized Chinese community within the city, is an example of a/an __________.
ethnic island
gendered space
gentrified neighborhood
forced segregation
ethnic island
An ethnic island or enclave is an area predominantly populated by a single ethnicity, sometimes in contrast to a city's overall demographic makeup. Forced segregation would mean that populations are legally separated, while a gendered space would divide along gender lines, rather than ethnic or cultural ones.
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