problems with culture score and defections

Hi. I am conquering rivals a little too easily but can't get cities to stop rebelling unless I just leave tHem empty until I destroy the whole civ. This is new to me. Normally a large garriso handles revolt or being deposed but not this time. I also lose cities toneighbors a lot if not my native people and sometimes even then so I have to utterly destroy rivAls to stop the losses. I am now building more cultural buildings but started that late. I also do not know how to learn arivals culture score if that is possible. What can I do besides clear my continent of rivals and build libraries and cathedrals a lot? I am already doing that but would like suggestions. I am also confused how total culture score which is still a problemeven when they have only one small empty city interacts withcityscores. I read that highly developed cities cause defection in nearby undeVeloped ones

Sorry about typos. I,m on a Blackberry and allthumbs!

i believe this post is meant to refer to civ 4.. while you posted in the civ v section.