Kingdom and trading states of East Africa Chapter

Kingdom and trading states of East Africa Chapter 11

Spread of Religion & Birth of Civilizations

Axum 100 -940 A. D • Was the major trade partner between India and Rome • Was the 1 st major African Civilization to convert to Christianity • Southeast of Nubia – Ethiopia to the Red Sea – Adulis – a port city (connected Africa, India and the Mediterranean)

– 300’s Christianity spreads • Unites Axum with the Mediterranean and N. Africa – Islam eventually spreads across N. Africa • Surrounding and isolating Axum

Ethiopia • Christianity unifies this region – mountains protect vs. invading forces – Christianity begins to adopt African customs, art and music

• Kings of Ethiopia claim to be descendents of Israel – Random tid bit – some people claim that the Holy Grail is located in Ethiopia

Churches of Lalibela • Carved from rock, down into the mountain • Lalibela was the center for Christendom in Ethiopia • Built by Gebre Mesqel Lalibela, in an attempt to recreate the city of Jerusalem

• East Africa – Small nations begin to show up – These nations survive and grow only through trade – Monsoon winds aid them in sea trade with India • Monsoons to India and back – Major cities like Kilwa, Mogadishu, Mombasa and Sofala pop up along the East African coast

Great Zimbabwe • Stones houses of Zimbabwe – Located on the bend of the Limpopo river – Zimbabwe means stone houses

– Artifacts from as far as China have been found • Indications of long range trade – Much is still unknown about G. Z. • Archeologists are still uncovering information – 1500’s civil war, high population contribute to the decline