• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
Zippy Facts Logo

Zippy Facts

Interesting Random Facts

  • Animals
  • Culture
  • Firsts
  • Food
  • Geography
  • Health
  • History
  • Inventions
  • Language
  • Mythology
  • Odds
  • People
  • Religion
  • Science
  • Space
  • Universe
  • World
You are here: Home / History / What religion did the Africans practice during the American Colonial Period?

What religion did the Africans practice during the American Colonial Period?

July 12, 2020 by Karen Hill

Africans were very religious. Many believed in a supreme god who created the earth.

They also believed in ancestor worship, and that the spirit still existed after the death of the individual. About one-fifth of the enslaved Africans held Islamic beliefs.

When the Africans came to America, most of their religious practices were banned and they were exposed to Christianity. Still, the slaves created their own interpretations of white beliefs, combining a belief in Jesus with belief in spirits who could help the living.

They added African rhythms, melodies, and patterns, such as the call and response, to standard Christian hymns and thus created spirituals of their own.

Related Facts

  • How did slaves during the American Colonial Period adapt to American culture?
  • History of Alcohol
  • History of Rulers
  • What was life like in the African homeland during the American Colonial Period?
  • When did the first black Africans come to colonial America?
  • How were Africans captured for slavery during the Atlantic slave trade?

Filed Under: History

About Karen Hill

Karen Hill is a freelance writer, editor, and columnist. Born in New York, her work has appeared in the Examiner, Yahoo News, Buzzfeed, among others.

Previous Post: « Were all black people in the colonies during the American Colonial Period slaves?
Next Post: How many slaves were there in the North American colonies during the 1700s? »

Footer

Follow

  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • GitHub
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Medium
  • Pinterest
  • StumbleUpon
  • Tumblr
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Categories

Accomplishments Animals Culture Firsts Food Geography Health History Inventions Language Mythology Odds People Religion Science Space Universe World Your Body

About

Zippy Facts empowers the world by serving educational content that is accessible to everyone.

A tribute to growing up, zippyfacts.com showcases interesting and unusual facts about the world.

Our mission is to use technology to facilitate knowledge transfer and sharing.

Copyright © 2020 Zippy Facts

  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy