- Published: September 17, 2022
- Updated: September 17, 2022
- University / College: Nottingham Trent University
- Level: Masters
- Language: English
- Downloads: 28
It is without question that geography has a primal impact with regards to the way in which cultures developed. Ultimately, the overall impact of geography is oftentimes felt with respect to the way in which the culture interacts with other cultures, trades, explorers, shares values and ideals, religion, and a litany of other factors. As a function of this brief analysis, the author will analyze three distinct cultures and discuss the way in which geography had a profound impact upon their respective development. The first of these cultures will be with regards to the Eskimo civilization. This particular civilization and culture was one that developed in an isolated area of the globe in which little if any interaction with foreign cultures took place. As a result of this, the unique cultural level of development place within the Eskimo culture was almost entirely naked; not borrowing from the experiences, religions, points of view, or technologies that other cultures might have provided.
By means of comparison and contrast, the culture of the Arabs was one that impacted greatly upon other regions in and around those areas that were primarily settled by Arabs. The underlying impact that geography had with regards to this level of cultural development had to act that there were few if any actual barriers within the Arab world between those regions that they colonized, traded with, and impacted in terms of their religion. When viewing North Africa, or the Arabian Peninsula for that matter, is readily noted that few if any barriers exist with respect to individuals freely moving about. As compared to the litany of different cultures, religions, and philosophies that existed within a divided Europe, the similarity and cohesion that existed within the Arab cultures was facilitated by this overall lack of geographic barriers.
Finally, the cultures of South America, prior to the introduction of Europeans to this land, were extraordinarily insular. This is not to say that powerful empires such as the Inca did not exist; rather, it merely helps to underscore the fact that even though these powerful empires existed, they only had an immediate cultural impact within a close geographic proximity of themselves. However, unlike the case of the Eskimo culture which is previously been discussed, the issue that was exhibited within South America in pre-Columbian times had to do with the fact that the geography of South America was so formidable and differentiated. Massive rivers, high mountain ranges, deserts, and dense jungles create a situation in which individuals were naturally separated from one another.
The information that is been presented above, it can clearly be noted that culture is profoundly impacted upon by geographic realities. Hold although these realities can of course be overcome with significant effort and technology, the extent inability of early peoples to impact upon these geographic realities were understandably limited; lending themselves to a situation in which their culture was ultimately heavily impacted upon by the geographic realities that surrounded them.