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Culture Documents
Ch.08
b. Haile Selassie, last king of Ethiopia, was the last descendant of Aksum
monarchs.
B. Controlling Trade
1. Access to: Indian Trade, Interior Africa, Mediterranean Basin
2. Ruled opposite shores of the Red Sea.
C. Strong Ruler Expands Kingdom
1. King Ezana
2. Expansion into Arabia and lower Nile River valley (Kush).
II. An International Culture Develops
A. Cosmopolitan Society: Trade attracts different peoples to Aksum
B. Aksumite Religion
1. Monotheistic (generally), with animistic beliefs.
2. Monarchy has divine origins.
3. Foreign contact and similar native beliefs accelerates adoption of Christianity.
C. Aksum Becomes Christian
1. King Ezana converts to Christianity (4th C.)
2. Ethiopia has a large Christian population.
D. Innovations
1. Only Sub-Saharan civilization to develop a written language.
2. First Sub-Saharan civilization to mint coins. This encourages commerce.
3. Terrace farming, irrigation canals, water storage projetcs
III. The Fall of Aksum
A. Islamic Invaders: First, the Arabian coast was conquered. Invasion of the African coast
followed.
B. Isolation: Islamic expansion isolated the Christians of Aksum from Christian societies outside
of Africa.
IV. Summary: Why it Matters Now
Ancient Aksum, which is now Ethiopia, is still a center of the Ethiopian Orthodox Christian Church.
Materials/Sources:Refer to the course calendar for additional assignments and pertinent due dates.
AN02d3
Ch.08