http://www.livescience.com/44376-italian-culture.html This is an incredible source. Being Italian I know that this is a credible source because the information posted is accurate with the culture I was raised in. This source breaks down family, religion, art, cuisine, etc. All of which I feel make up ones culture. There is not an overwhelming amount of information on each page which page, just the importance information summed up so that readers can easily understand and learn about Italy. This website also includes Italian holidays, which many other sources neglected to include. Overall one one the better sources I found that incorporated all aspects of Italian culture.
http://www.everyculture.com/Ge-It/Italy.html This source also did a wonderful job teaching the reader about Italian culture. Although this source is a bit lengthier than the previous source, it includes even more information and fundamentals that contribute to the Italian culture. What I liked most that this source include was geography, history, and politics. I feel all of those things blend together to create culture. It is important to know the roots of a society so you can better understand and appreciate the culture.
The map used shows the birth place of many well know Italian dishes. Food has a huge influence on Italian culture. It brings families together, is a way of showing your love to someone; food in a sense binds Italian culture. The map above does a great job showing the basic, well know types of food, but I strongly encourage the reader to view the map and website I have provided. https://theromanfoodie.com/italian-food-map-cuisine-italy-cities/#embed This website goes in depth on where each dish came from, and what exactly the dish is. The map would not copy onto this page so check out the link provide. I can guarantee you will want to try every dish on the list and you will become better educated on Italian cuisine and how it impacts Italian culture. The link for the map listed above is http://vinepair.com/wine-blog/your-guide-to-the-wine-and-food-of-italy-infographic/
Statistics on some of the most popular Italian cities population and area.
Religion There are many different religions in Italy. The most common religion is Christianity which stemmed from the Catholic religion which was first introduced to Italy when they were under catholic rule. It was very difficult to find much information on the other religions because 88% of the population is Christian. Christianity came about by the Romans Catholic Church. Italy is all around known as a Catholic or Christian country. Italy is very big on culture. Religion is extremely important to Italy and the Italian people. Religion is a way Italian live their life. It is what our beliefs are based on off of. It is very evident that Italians value religion as part of our culture because from a young age we are taught all about God, and the saints if you happen to be catholic. It is a cultural norm to go to church every Sunday. It is a cultural norm to be married in a church and to have Christian or Catholic weddings. There are many beautiful churches within Italy that are sacred to the people. Homes can be sacred if that is where you choose to practice and pray. The Vatican in Rome is a well-known sacred place. You are unable to even take a picture of this holy place. Only paintings have been drawn. There are many more beautiful churches in Italy that have prestige art work and are considered to be holy lands. In many of these places photos are discouraged because church is a place to join with God not to take pictures. According to official documents there is no state religion in Italy. However, there is strong ties to Catholicism which many have interpreted as the official religion. In the past Roman Catholics ruled over parts of Italy and this may be what is to blame for the overwhelming number of Catholics/Christians. Although there hasn’t been any influence by the government on religion since the Roman Catholic reign, it is still important to note that there once was. After doing my research on this topic I found the information to be very interesting. Growing up Italian I knew how important religion was but after looking at the statistics I was pleasantly surprised to see just how many people still practice Catholicism or Christianity. The role religion has played on society go much deeper than helping believers find God. With the beautiful churches religion in a way has attracted tourist as well which help bring in money. Religion has shaped Italian culture into what it is today.
This map shows the religions in Europe. As you can see Italy is mostly Roman Catholic. This is a great map because it shows all the other religions around Italy that could have an influence on Italy however Italians are so strong in their beliefs their religion has not changed in hundreds of years. https://www.google.com/search?q=religion+map+of+Italy&rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS701US701&espv=2&tbm=isch&imgil=VHn9vBZ1qUkX-M%253A%253BpqT3M11ZhiuL5M%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Ftngrossitaly.weebly.com%25252Fculture-and-social-development.html&source=iu&pf=m&fir=VHn9vBZ1qUkX-M%253A%252CpqT3M11ZhiuL5M%252C_&usg=__06DLF4YohjasZdZNa08t9mQWRcw%3D&biw=1280&bih=682&dpr=2&ved=0ahUKEwi_7OHU39fSAhWrgFQKHVJ9CPAQyjcIKQ&ei=Cc3IWP_DB6uB0gLS-qGADw#imgrc=VHn9vBZ1qUkX-M:
This is a world religion map. As you can see Italy and the United states have a dominant christian (catholic) religion.
https://www.google.com/search?q=religion+map+of+Italy&rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS701US701&espv=2&tbm=isch&imgil=VHn9vBZ1qUkX-M%253A%253BpqT3M11ZhiuL5M%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Ftngrossitaly.weebly.com%25252Fculture-and-social-development.html&source=iu&pf=m&fir=VHn9vBZ1qUkX-M%253A%252CpqT3M11ZhiuL5M%252C_&usg=__06DLF4YohjasZdZNa08t9mQWRcw%3D&biw=1280&bih=682&dpr=2&ved=0ahUKEwi_7OHU39fSAhWrgFQKHVJ9CPAQyjcIKQ&ei=Cc3IWP_DB6uB0gLS-qGADw#imgrc=n5gTG7ZmF10suM:
This map shows the percentage of people who believe in God in Europe. http://www.churchpop.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/belief-in-god.png
This map is more specific. It shows how many people in each country identify with Catholicism. I chose to include this map specifically so that it is clear to those learning about Italy just how dominant Catholicism is.
http://www.churchpop.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/catholicism.png
Other Sources for Religion: https://churchpop.com/2014/10/09/10-maps-religion-europe/ This was one of the best sources I found. There were maps that showed the number of people who identify with each religion in Europe. I would highly encourage you to view the website if youd like to know how many people practice each religion.
Common Recipes in Italy!
Red Sauce and spaghetti: Ingredients:
1 (28-ounce) can pelati tomatoes*
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
1/3 red onion, medium diced
3 cloves garlic, sliced into chunks
Pinch red pepper flakes, optional
2 handful fresh basil, torn, plus more for serving
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound spaghetti, for serving
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
How to prepare: In a food processor, puree the tomatoes to a smooth creamy consistency. Add olive oil to a large pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the onions and saute until they are soft, and before it actually starts browning a bit, add the garlic. If you'd like to make the sauce spicier, add a pinch red pepper, optional. Add the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Simmer on a medium-low flame for about a half hour. Thrive for balance in the consistency of the sauce, it has to be fluid but it should not look overly wet. A few minutes before taking the sauce off the fire, add half the basil and season with salt and pepper. To serve: Cook a nice al dente pasta, dress with red sauce and finish with some freshly grated Parmesan, a couple of leaves of basil and sprinkle with extra-virgin olive oil.
For other incredible recipes click on this link! http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/debi-mazar-and-gabriele-corcos/red-sauce-and-spaghetti
Italians take food every seriously. Our culture is heavily influenced by food. It unites communities, provides a source of income, Everything is locally grown. Vegetables and things used to create these beautiful dishes are all locally grown. Sea food is caught locally, pastas are homemade using fresh ingredients, and most forms of protein are all from free range animals. The earliest recipe for spaghetti and red sauce dates back to 1839. We don't exactly know for sure where Italian pasta was created. There are many different myths about where exactly pasta and red sauce were created, but all point towards Italy. This dish is the most basic Italian dish. Depending on where you're from in Italy you will make this dish differently. The ingredients and spices used depend on how you were raised to make the dish. My mother makes this dish different than her cousins do because their parents made it differently. There are no religious beliefs in Italy that prohibit the consumption of certain foods. Italian cuisine is full of love and often memories pasted down from generation to generation.