One of the largest deciding factors of a civilization is culture (depending on how one looks at things). Culture influences everything; politics, movement, economics. Google defines culture as “the arts and other manifestations of human intellectual achievement regarded collectively.” I think of culture as likes and dislikes in a group of people. It can decide where people live, what people buy, and bills people pass.
One of my favorite parts of history is tracing how culture has affected the major decisions that led to major historical events. For instance, the need to feel superior led to slavery and then the Civil Rights Movement. The collective fear of, largely, the British led to WWII, as well as the need for Germans to prove themselves. Culture explains many parts of history and makes it more interesting.
This is why I chose today’s infographic. It shows how culture has spread over time, specifically the roads taken. Trade between major cities has taken place for centuries. People have always wanted to spread, so explorers have searched for open land, and have discovered spices, jewels and cloth. Everyone wanted these items, and those who could pay for it paid people to go get it for them. What these explorers were bringing back was culture. They travelled by foot, and so had much time on their hands, time to talk. They talked with others, learned, and shared these ideas with others they met. By just looking at these maps the major roads and largest cities can be seen. Use this to instill a reason to learn history in your students. Culture is who we are and history is how it developed.
Blog: http://goo.gl/dvqbF