Commission on Diocesan Schools

SAINT CHRISTOPHER ACADEMY

Central East #1, Bangar, La Union
Tel. No. (072) 619-6949
Email: [email protected]
Deped School ID: 400082 || ESC School ID: 0100068

Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics

Name:_______________________________________ Date:_____________
Grade and Section:______________________________ Score:___________

Module

Due to our current situation brought by COVID pandemic, the face-to-face way of conducting schooling is not
advisable for our own safety. However, the importance of education to our learners is indispensable. Thus, formal
education must be acquired in any means that both educators and learners can do. Let us continue our learning process in
this new normal of education.

This course aims to provide students’ ideas about human cultures, human agency, society and politics; recognize
cultural relativism and social inclusiveness to overcome prejudices; and develop social and cultural competence to guide
their interactions with groups, communities, networks, and institutions.

After going through this module, you are expected to:

• Analyze the significance of cultural, social, political and economic symbols and practices.
Specific Learning Objective
• Trace the biological and cultural evolution of early to modern humans.

• Explore the significance of human material remains and artefactual evidence in interpreting cultural and social,
including political and economic, processes.

• Recognize national, local, and specialized museums, and archaeological and historical sites as venues to
appreciate and reflect on the complexities of biocultural and social evolution as part of being and becoming
human.

Human Capacity for Culture

Culture is defined as “that complex whole which encompasses beliefs, practices, values, attitudes, laws, norms,
artifacts, symbols, knowledge, and everything that a person learns and shares as a member of a society” (Taylor, 2010). It
is by-product of the attempt of humans to survive their environment and to compensate for their biological characteristics
and limitations. Our evolution toward humanity as we know it has been a long journey of survival against the elements of
the environment and against competing species. As our ancestors evolved biologically in response to their environment,
they have also developed cultural technologies that aided them to efficiently obtain food and deter predators.

Evolution is a natural process of biological changes occurring in a population across successive generations (Banaag,
2012 p.31). It helps us identify and analyze man’s physiological development and eventually the emergence of different
society. Moreover, man’s progression and characteristics are essential in understanding the capability for adaptation.
Most scientists currently recognize some 15 to 20 different species of early humans.

Human Biocultural Evolution

Species Characteristics
Hominids The development of the different species of primates which were able to evolve in 40
“Manlike million years ago. There have been various relics of hominids which could be described as
Primates” manlike primates. They are Ramapithecus, Lucy and
Australopithecus.

Homo Habilis The apelike men who first to used stone tools as weapons and protection of their
1
 “Handy Man” enemies. They are recognized as the first true human. Lived about 2.4 to 1.4 million years
ago.
Homo Erectus It was believed to be the first man like creature that lived about 500,000 years ago in
“The Upright Man” Asia, Africa and Europe. This manlike specie could walk straight with almost the same
brain with modern man. He made refined stone stools for hunting and weapons for
protection of the enemies.
The following are the major discovered fossils:
a. Pithecanthropus Erectus “Java Man” –Discovered by Eugene Dubois at Trinil,
Java, Indonesia in 1891.
b. Sinanthropus Pekinensis “Peking Man” –Discovered at Choukoutien village,
Beijing, China in 1929.

Homo Sapiens It was believed that this was the direct descendant of modern man who lived about
“The Thinking 250,000 years ago. They had similar physical descriptions with modern man. They
Man” originated as the primitive men whose activities were largely dependent on hunting,
fishing and agriculture. They buried their dead, used had tools and had religion. The
following are Homo Sapiens subspecies:

a. Neanderthal Man –Discovered in Neanderthal valley near Dusseldorf, Germany in

1856 who lived in cave and dependent in hunting and fishing.
b. Cro-Magnon Man – Discovered by a French archaeologist Louis Lartet in the Cro
Magnon Cave in Southern France. It was believed to live in Europe, Asia and Africa.
As a prehistoric man, they were the first to produce art in cave paintings and crafting
decorated tools and accessories.

Four Biological Capacity of Human to Develop Culture

1. Our  The primary biological component of humans that allowed for culture is the developed brain. It has the
Thinking necessary parts for facilitating pertinent skills such as speaking, touching, feeling, seeing, and
capacity smelling.
 Compared with other primates, humans have a larger brain, weighing 1.4 kg. Due to the size of brain
and the complexity of its parts, humans were able to create survival skills that helped them adapt to
their environment and outlive their less adaptive biological relatives.

2. Our  Look at your hands. Notice how your thumb relates with your other fingers. This capacity to directly
gripping oppose your thumb with your other fingers is an exclusive trait of
capacity 

humans. It allowed
us to have a finger grip.
Figure 1. Hands of selected primates

 The hand of human has digits (fingers) that are straights, as compared with the curved ones of the other
primates. Notice that the thumb of the human is proportionately longer than those of other primates.
These characteristics of the human hand allowed for two types of grip” power and precision.
a) Power grip enabled humans to wrap the thumb and fingers on an object; it became the cornerstone
of our capacity to hold tool firmly for hunting and other activities.
b) Precision grip enabled humans to hold and pick objects steadily using fingers. This capacity was
crucial for toolmaking activities.
3. Our  As the brain is the capacity source of humans’ capacity to

2
speaking
capacity comprehend sound and provide meaning to it, the vocal tract acts as the mechanism by which sounds are
produced and reproduced to transmit ideas and values.
 Humans have longer vocal tract compared with chimpanzee. A longer vocal tract means that there is a
longer vibration surface, allowing human to produce a wider array of sounds than chimpanzees.
 The tongue of human is also more flexible than of a chimpanzee, allowing for more control in making
sounds.
4. Our  Primates have two forms of locomotion: bipedalism and quadropedalism. Bipedalism is the capacity to
walking/ walk and stand on two feet, whereas quadropedalism uses all four limbs. Although apes are semi-
standing bipedal, humans are the only fully bipedal primates.
capacity  Being bipedal, humans gained more capacity to move while carrying objects with their free hands. It
gave humans more capacity or productivity with their hands like hunting and foraging.

Cultural and Sociopolitical Development

The physical as well as the mental development of early human beings helped them understand and adapt to their
existing environment. Thus, their adjustment served as the onset of their culture. Culture enables the members of society
to develop ways of coping with exigencies of nature as well as ways of harnessing their environment (Panopio, et.al
1994). The changes made by man through his interaction with the environment establish the different cultural evolution
which determines man’s socio-cultural development.

Cultural Period Cultural and Socio-political Development

Paleolithic Period  Use of simple pebble tools.
(Old Stone Age)  Learned to live in caves.
 Discovered the use of fires.
3 million years to  Developed small sculptures; and monumental painting, incised designs, and
8,000 B.C. reliefs on the wall of caves.  “Food-collecting cultures”
Neolithic Age  Stone tools were shaped by polishing or grinding.
(New Stone Age)  Settlement in permanent villages.
Occurred sometime about  Dependence on domesticated plants or animals.
10,000 BCE  Appearance of such crafts as pottery and weaving.  “Food-producing cultures”
Age of Metals  The used of metal such as bronze, copper, and iron produced a new historical
development form cradles civilization of Egypt, Mesopotamia, Persia, including
India and China which later on spread throughout
4,000 B.C. – 1,500 Asia.
B.C  The civilization which defines to a more developed social, cultural, political and
economic system.
 It had already direct contacts through tribes, kingdoms, empire and later on state
which the constant political activities were through conquest, wars and trade.

The Early Types of Societies

During the course of human history, people have organized themselves into various types of societies depending
upon their level of technology and the related methods of subsistence. The earliest societies confined themselves in
gathering and hunting for food. When man invented the plow, it enabled him to increase the amount of available food.
The introduction of modern technology and equipment, mass computerization, and white-collar service occupations, has
changed the man’s society into a more complex one.

Type of Technology Economy Settlements Social Organizations

Society
A. Hunting and Very simple – Bare necessities Nomadic All resting within family.
Gathering fire, arrow, – no surplus 25-40 people
Society baskets

B. Digging sticks, Simple crop Semipermanen Family-centered; Religious system begins

Horticultural occasionally cultivation, some t – some cities to develop, moderate specialization;
And blade tools. surplus and occasionally Presence of social inequality.
Pastoral exchange. kingdoms.
3
 Society
C. Agrarian Irrigation, Largely Permanent Family loses significance as distinctive
Society Fertilization, agricultural but urbanization religious,
Metallurgy, much surplus; becoming political, and economic system emerged.
Animal-drawn increased important empires Increased presence of social inequality.
plow. market covering continent.
exchange and
substantial
trade.
D. Industrial Advance sources Industrial – few Permanent – urban Complex set of interdependent
Society of energy; engage in living institutions.
Mechanized agriculture or predominating.
production. direct Cities now contain
production; most of the
Much population. The
surplus; Fully
rise of state.
developed
market economy

COMPONENTS OF CULTURE
The beginning of early man is a proper reference in treating the interesting subject of culture. Man’s adaptation to
his society, his conformity with the culture of his time and his education have worked alongside each other in putting him
in his present status as the strongest and the most intelligent creature in the world.

As perceived by sociologists and anthropologists, culture is rather a complex concept. To understand culture, one
must examine its major elements:

1. Material Culture –It is the physical objects a society produces, things people create and use. These are tools,
furniture, clothing, automobiles, and computer systems, to name a few. Thus, the awareness of the kind of objects
created and how people use them brings about greater understanding of the culture and of a society.

1.1. Technology. A Society’s culture consists of not only physical objects but also rules for using those
objects. Sociologists sometimes refer to this combination of objects and rules as technology. Using items
of material culture, particularly tools, requires various skills, which are part of the nonmaterial culture.

2. Non-material Culture –It consists of elements termed norms, values, beliefs, and language shared by the
members of a society. Non-material culture is considered as the carriers of culture.

2.1. Language. Perhaps, the most defining characteristics of human being is the ability to develop and use
highly complex systems of symbols like language. A symbol, as sociologists say, is the very foundation
of culture. The essence of culture is the sharing of meanings among members of a society. Unless one
shares the language of a culture, one cannot participate in it. (Fishman, 1985; p.128)
Language influences our ways of perceiving, behaving, and feeling, and thus, tends to define and
shape the world around us. It is through language that idea values, beliefs, and knowledge are
transmitted, expressed, and shared. Without language, there will be no culture.

2.2. Beliefs. These are ideas that people hold about the universe or any part of the total reality surrounding
them. These are the things how people perceive reality. The subject of human beliefs may be infinite and
may include ideas concerning the individual, other people and any all aspects of the biological, physical,
social, and supernatural world be it primitive or scientific.

2.3. Values. They are shared ideas about desirable goals. They are the person’s ideas about worth and
desirability or an abstract of what is important and worthwhile. Values make up our judgements of moral
and immoral, good and bad, right and wrong, beautiful and ugly, etc.

4
 2.4. Norms. These are shared rules of conduct that specify how people ought to think and act. A norm is
ideas in the minds of the members of a group put into a statement specifying what members of the group
should do, ought to do or are expected to do under certain circumstances. (Homans, 1950; p. 123).

Norms are usually in the form of rules, standards, or prescriptions and social shared expectations. Norms has
three forms:

2.4.1. Mores. These are norms associated with strong ideas of right and wrong. Mores are standard of conduct
that are highly respected and valued by the group and their fulfilment is felt to be necessary and vital to
group welfare.
They are considered essential to the group’s existence and accordingly, the group demands that
they be followed without questions. They represent obligatory behavior because their infraction results to
punishment –formal or informal.

2.4.2. Folkways. These are norms that are simply the customary, normal, habitual ways a group does things.
These customary ways are accumulated and become repetitive patterns of expected behavior which tends
to become permanent traditions.
One of the essential features of folkways is that there is no strong feeling of right or wrong
attached to them. If one violates folkways, there is no punishment attached to it.

2.4.3. Laws. These are often referred to as formal norms. They are rules that are enforced and sanctioned by the
authority of the government.

The Legacy of Early Humans to Contemporary Population

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is the primary transnational
entity that manages and negotiates matters relating to human heritage. It defined cultural heritage as follows:

Cultural heritage is not limited to material manifestations, such as monuments and objects that have been
preserved over time. This notion also encompasses living expressions and the traditions that countless groups and
communities worldwide have inherited from their ancestors and transmit to their descendants, in most cases,
orally (UNESCO, 2010)

This definition us with a two-part meaning of cultural heritage. On one end, there is heritage being tangible in the form
of structures, monuments, historical sites, and other artifacts. On the other hand, there is heritage being intangible in the
form of literature, oral, traditions, concepts, and values.

Tangible heritage could be divided into two categories: movable and immovable. The primary difference in these
categories is the size of the heritage. For example, the Stonehenge is an immovable tangible heritage, whereas the
sarcophagus of the pharaoh Tutankhamun is a movable tangible heritage.

Movable tangible heritage pieces are often removed from the sites where they were found and transferred to museums
for safekeeping and maintenance. Immovable tangible heritage pieces are often left to the elements of nature (i.e., rain,
wind, sand, sun), which makes them vulnerable to decay and corrosion. This does not mean that conservation efforts are
not being made. However, due to the constant exposure of these objects to these elements, conservation becomes more
challenging.

WORKSHEET 5
Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics
5
Name:__________________________________________ Date: _____________
Year & Section: _____________________________________ Score:

The Evolution of Man

A. Write inside the boxes the corresponding name of the species.

https://www.smithsonianmag.co m

Explain how society was formed.

Content of answer – 5 points Clarity of ideas – 5 points = 10 points

B. Enumerate practices or activities of early people that are still being practiced or observed by the people today.
Socio-cultural Practices/Activities Political Practices/ Activities Economic Practices/
Activities
1 1 1

2 2 2

3 3 3

4 4 4

5 5 5

C. Essay: Your answers will be rated based on the rubric shown in the next page.

1. What is the role played by fiestas and museums in preserving our cultural practices and symbols?
Fiestas:___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
Museums:_________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

2. Conduct an interview. Ask your parents or elders of your community of some significant symbols or
meanings of old farming practices.

6
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
Rubric for Activity C

Criteria Fair 2 points Good 3 Very Good 4 points

points
Description has no new Description provides Description was written neatly, very
information and ideas are some new information well
Quality of Writing poorly organized and organized informative and well organized

There are misspelled words, Few misspelled words Virtually, no spelling, punctuation or
Grammar, and punctuation and and punctuation errors grammatical errors and were able to
Usage and grammatical errors that but were able to provide provide a very good description.
Mechanics interferes with the a description
description provided

Multiple Choices. Select the right answer from the choices inside the box.
Choices for 1-4:
A. Hominids C. Homo Erectus
B. Homo Habilis D. Homo Sapiens

1. They were the first hunters with improvised tools such as axes and knives, and were the first to produce fire.
2. First to make stone tools.
3. Described as manlike primates.
4. They were the first to produce art in cave paintings and crafting decorated tools and accessories.

Choices for 5-8:

A. Paleolithic Period C. Metal Age
B. Neolithic Period D. Age of Modern Technology

5. Also known as the computer age.

6. Trading flourished in and among tribes, kingdoms, empires and later on state.
7. The period when the considered new people learned farming, domesticating animals and use wove cloth as
protection of their skin.
8. People during this period are nomadic.

Choices for 9-12

A. basket C. plough
B. weaving of cloth D. banga/clay pot

9. Used for food preservation and storing of water.

10.What materials they produced or made to help them in harvesting crops? 11. With great skills, a loom is a device
for;
12. Traditional tool in farming.

Choices for 13-15:

A. Language C. Values B. Beliefs
D. Norms
13. Performing rituals -butchering of animals, offering of foods, for the dead relatives.
14. Killing, stealing and many more are strictly prohibited by society.
15. Elders are given high respect in the society.

Prepared by: Checked and Noted by:

Jonalyn D. Obina Ms. Jennifer B. Galuz
Subject Teacher OIC Principal