Pre-Colonial Africa and Religion

Unit 2 Chapter 7 Section 1

Unit 2 Chapter 7 Section 3

Timeframe

• Axum: 330 CE – King Ezana converts to Christianity

• 641 CE – Arab forces conquer Egypt– By 700 CE, most of North Africa is Islamic

• Axum and North Africa exist peacefully

• By 1300’s, tensions rise between Islam and Christianity– Each trying to conquer trade routes in Africa

How do conversions take place?

• Trade– Traders of the Islamic faith converting individual

merchants

• Leaders not initially converting to Islam• Conflict in East Africa

– Christianity already established– Islam and traditional values oppose one another

• Central and Southern Africa converted by 1400’s• More converts in East Africa by 1100-1200’s

– Upper class