6th grade ubd - unit 8 - religion and culture in africa
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Religion and Culture in Africa
6th Grade UBD - Unit 8 - Religion and Culture in Africa
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Traditional Religion in Africa- For
thousands of years, the native-born people
of Africa have practiced traditional religions.
The Influence of Christianity and
Islam- Christianity reached Egypt before
100 CE. Islam began to spread through
northern Africa during the 600s CE.
Reach Into Your Background
Religion is an
important part of
culture. What role
does religion play
in the United
States? Explain
your answer.
( 5 minutes)
Partner Activity
Work with a neighbor and compare your answer with theirs. What things are the same and what things are different? (3 minutes)
Religion and RitualsVideo- Religion and Rituals
Key Ideas- Traditional Religion in Africa
Most traditional religions are indigenous to Africa and are
polytheistic.
The traditional religions all recognize the existence of a supreme
god.
Most Africans who follow traditional religions seek guidance and
help from lesser gods and dead ancestors.
Followers believe their ancestors act as go-betweens for the
physical world and the spiritual world.
Africa’s traditional religions have not spread far beyond the
specific regions where they arose.
Key Term
Indigenous-
Native to or
coming from a
particular region.
(Members of the
Masai ethnic
group in Africa
perform a
traditional dance
that involves
jumping for a
ceremony.)
Traditional Religion in Africa
The traditional religions
of Africa are
polytheistic.
They generally
recognize that a
supreme being exists,
whom they worship, but
they usually stress that
people should also seek
guidance from lesser
gods and from their
own ancestors.
Key Term
Ancestor-
One, such as a
parent,
grandparent,
great-
grandparent,
who precedes
another in
lineage.
Traditional Religion in Africa
The African people who
practice traditional
religions today often
offer daily prayers and
sacrifices, and they
celebrate ceremonies
that mark the passage
of a person from
childhood to adulthood.
Traditional Religion in Africa
Africans often
use masks
representing
cultural heroes,
gods, and
ancestors in
their worship
ceremonies.
Talking to the Gods
In some traditions,
dancing, chanting, or
drumming are used
to connect with gods
or spirits. This is very
common in groups
that practice vodun.
Talking to the Gods
Vodun followers believe
that people who practice
these rhythmic arts can
become possessed.
Gods or spirits are believed
to take over their bodies.
The spirits then
communicate with the
group through the
possessed people.
Traditional Religion in Africa
In addition, many
African traditional
religions use
statuettes.
Believers think these
objects to serve as
mediators between
the human and
spiritual worlds.
Traditional Religion in Africa
African traditional
religions have not
spread far outside of
Africa.
Each religion remains
relatively limited to the
specific region of the
ethnic group practicing
it.
Why Does It Matter?
Traditional religions continue to
be practiced throughout Africa
today. In Africa, the Christian and
Muslim religions often mix in
some of the beliefs and rituals of
the traditional religions.
How Religion Changed AfricaReading Handout- How Religion Changed Africa
Key Ideas- The Influence of Christianity and Islam
Christians in Egypt formed the Coptic Church. During the early
300s, many people in Aksum began to convert to Christianity.
The Muslims had a large impact on North African culture. This
is seen especially in math, science, literature, and architecture.
During the 800s, Muslim merchants from North Africa began to
convert people in West Africa.
The pilgrimage of Mansa Musa spread news of the great wealth
of Mali. As a result, many countries wanted to find the source
of this wealth.
Key Term
Coptic
Christianity-
A branch of
Christianity
that
developed in
Egypt in the
first century.
Coptic ChristianityVideo- Coptic Christianity
Christianity Enters Africa
Christians entered Egypt
around 100 and
developed a type of
Christianity called Coptic
Christianity.
During the 300s and 400s,
a conflict arose between
the native Christian Copts
of Egypt and Christian
Romans living in Egypt.
Christianity Enters Africa
Copts believed Jesus
had one nature that
combined the human
and divine.
Many Romans, though,
claimed Jesus had two
natures: one divine
and the other human.
Christianity Enters Africa
Eventually, at the Council of Chalcedon,
Christian theologians confirmed the two-nature
view of Jesus. The Roman Catholic Church and
the Eastern Orthodox Church agreed with the
decision of the council. The Coptic Christian
Church, however, rejected the decision and
broke away from Rome, creating its own
independent church.
Mesquel FestivalVideo- Mesquel Festival
EthiopiaReading Handout- Ethiopia
Christianity Spreads to Aksum
During the early 300s,
Roman Christians entered
the kingdom of Aksum in
today’s northern Ethiopia
and Eritrea and began to
evangelize the region.
Around 333, the king of
Aksum, Ezana, converted
to Christianity and then
made it the state religion.
Christianity Spreads to Aksum
The Christian Church in Aksum followed the
leadership of the Coptic Church in Egypt.
During the 600s, Muslims entered the
region, evangelizing for their religion, but
the people of Aksum remained Christian,
and the kingdom was an isolated outpost of
Christianity in Muslim East Africa.
Christianity and Islam
While Christianity
remained a minority
religion on the continent,
practiced mostly in
small, coastal regions
where European traders
lived, Islam became a
powerful force in Africa.
Islam Spreads to Africa
Muslim Arabs conquered
Egypt during the 600s, and
quickly moved west to the
sea, bringing North Africa
into the Muslim empire.
The Muslims encouraged
people they conquered to
convert to Islam but usually
did not force them to
convert.
Islam Spreads to Africa
Muslim Arabs formed the ruling class of
the areas they conquered. Below them
were non-Arabs—native Africans—who
converted to Islam. Non-Arabs who
decided to practice another religion
formed the next social class, and the
lowest class consisted of enslaved people.
Islam Spreads to Africa
Muslim Arabs brought
Muslim culture and
learning to North
Africa, which included
advances in math,
science, medicine,
literature, and
architecture.
Islam Spreads to Africa
During the 800s, Muslim
merchants began to
trade on a regular basis
with parts of West Africa.
Because of this trade,
many of the merchants
and rulers of West Africa
converted to Islam.
Mansa Musa
In West Africa, the Mali
Empire formed around
1240 and gained
considerable wealth
and influence through
the gold and salt trade.
In 1312, Mansa Musa
became the emperor of
Mali and converted to
Islam.
Mansa Musa
Mansa Musa
established Islam
as the official
religion of his
empire.
Soon Mansa Musa
made an elaborate
pilgrimage to
Mecca via Egypt.
Key Term
Mecca- The
holiest city in all of
Islam. Originally,
the city was just
an oasis along a
caravan trade
route linking South
Arabia, East Africa,
and South Asia to
the Mediterranean
countries.
Mansa Musa
Mansa Musa pilgrimage included
about 60,000 of his followers
carrying huge amounts of gold on
camels.
The pilgrimage spread news of the
great wealth in Mali throughout all
the Muslim lands and even into
Europe. Because of this, many
countries sought to find the source
of this amazing wealth.
Mansa Musa
Mansa Musa established
the city of Timbuktu in
Mali as an important
center of trade and
learning.
He made the mosque of
Sankore a school for the
teaching of history, law,
and theology.
Why Does It Matter?
Christianity continues to be practiced in Ethiopia
(formerly Aksum). Also, European countries took
control of most of Africa during the 1800s.
During this time, a large number of Christian
missionaries entered Africa. They converted
many of the local people. Despite this, Islam
remains the main religion in many African
countries.
The People of AfricaVideo- The People of Africa
Independent Activity
What has been the
“muddiest” point so
far in this lesson?
That is, what topic
remains the least
clear to you? (4
minutes)
Partner Activity
Work with a neighbor and compare your muddiest point with theirs. Compare what things are the same and what things are different? (3 minutes)