Cracking the AP Human Geography Exam, 2018 Edition by Princeton Review

Author:Princeton Review
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: 2017-10-10T04:00:00+00:00

Cultural Adaptation

The cultural landscape also retains the imprint of minority and immigrant groups. The ethnic neighborhood is the best example of how these groups make their way into the layers of sequent occupance at a much smaller scale. In the case of New York, Little Italy or Chinatown immediately come to mind. You can also cite the example of Spanish Harlem, where Puerto Rican and Dominican immigrants settled from the 1950s onward.

Acculturate or Assimilate—Which is it?

When the European immigrants came to America in the early part of the 20th century, they adopted many new beliefs and behaviors in their new home. They still kept much of their original culture, but they learned the American norms as they adjusted to life in America. This is an example of acculturation—the process of adapting to a new culture while still keeping some of one’s original culture. Usually acculturation is a two-way street, with both the original and the incoming culture group swapping cultural traits.

Assimilation is more of an “all-or-nothing” process. Assimilation is a complete change in the identity of a minority culture group as it becomes part of the majority culture group. A great example of assimilation occurred when the U.S. government adopted a policy of “forced assimilation” of the Native American population. The government forced the Native Americans to move to reservations where they were taught in government-run schools. The people were made to learn English and give up their native tongue. The government insisted they adopt the dress, manners, language, and ways of the dominant American culture. The “old ways” were forbidden. This total absorption into the dominant culture is one-way and usually “encouraged” by government policy when the new residents are forced to learn the new languages and embrace the new ways.

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