Question

Which of the following is NOT true of Indigenous West African religions in the 16th century?

A) They were polytheistic, believing in multiple deities.
B) They placed a strong emphasis on ancestor worship and reverence.
C) They had a hierarchical religious structure with priests and priestesses.
D) They were heavily influenced by Islamic beliefs and practices.
E) They practiced divination and believed in the power of spiritual rituals.

Answer 1

The incorrect statement about 16th-century Indigenous West African religions is that they were heavily influenced by Islamic beliefs and practices. While some blending did occur, these traditional religions maintained distinctive polytheistic and ancestral worship practices.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statement that is NOT true of Indigenous West African religions in the 16th century is D) They were heavily influenced by Islamic beliefs and practices. While it's accurate that Islam had spread across many parts of Africa and had influenced various aspects of African societies, traditional West African religions maintained a distinctive character rooted in polytheistic beliefs, ancestral reverence, and spiritual rituals. These religions were known for being polytheistic, with a belief in multiple deities, and a supreme being who was often distant from daily affairs. Instead, a pantheon of specialized secondary deities handled day-to-day matters. There was indeed a hierarchical religious structure with priests and priestesses, and practices like divination and other spiritual rituals were common. The blending of Islamic beliefs with traditional practices did occur in some regions, but to state that West African religions were heavily influenced overall by Islamic beliefs and practices would be misleading.