Historical Causes of Diffusion

Definition

These are the historical events, processes or factors that have contributed to the spread of cultures, ideas, diseases etc. across different regions over time.

Analogy

Think of these causes as winds that carry seeds from one place to another. The wind (historical cause) helps the seed (culture/idea/disease) travel and take root in new places.

Related terms

Cultural Hearth: A cultural hearth is an area where new ideas and innovations spring up and spread to other parts of the world. It's like the tree that produces the seeds in our analogy.

Migration: Migration refers to movement by people from one place to another with intentions of settling temporarily or permanently in those locations. In our analogy, it's similar to birds carrying seeds over long distances during their migration journey.

Trade Routes: Trade routes are predetermined paths used for trading goods between different regions. They can also facilitate cultural diffusion. In our analogy, they're like rivers along which seeds can travel further.