Simple Android app Can't get a blank activity to use non AppCompat theme -

i've been going through android training tutorials , can't seem simple blank activity apply theme theme.holo.light.

this i've done far:

1. set minsdkversion 11 in gradle script , synced project.

2. applied theme in androidmanifest.xml setting:

   android:theme="@android:style/theme.holo.light"

tried applying @ application/activity level , creating custom theme , setting parent.

when running app in emulator crashes error:

java.lang.runtimeexception: unable start activity componentinfo{com.example.test.themetest3/com.example.test.themetest3.mainactivity}: java.lang.illegalstateexception: need use theme.appcompat theme (or descendant) activity. 

according documentation default theme 11+ api levels theme.holo can't work , i'm missing something. activity insists on using appcompat themes only. need extend other class within activity?

this activity code (generated creating blank activity).

package com.example.test.themetest3;  import android.os.bundle; import android.support.design.widget.floatingactionbutton; import android.support.design.widget.snackbar; import android.support.v7.app.appcompatactivity; import android.support.v7.widget.toolbar; import android.view.view; import android.view.menu; import android.view.menuitem;  public class mainactivity extends appcompatactivity {  @override protected void oncreate(bundle savedinstancestate) {     super.oncreate(savedinstancestate);     setcontentview(r.layout.activity_main);     toolbar toolbar = (toolbar) findviewbyid(r.id.toolbar);     setsupportactionbar(toolbar);      floatingactionbutton fab = (floatingactionbutton) findviewbyid(r.id.fab);     fab.setonclicklistener(new view.onclicklistener() {         @override         public void onclick(view view) {             snackbar.make(view, "replace own action", snackbar.length_long)                     .setaction("action", null).show();         }     }); }  @override public boolean oncreateoptionsmenu(menu menu) {     // inflate menu; adds items action bar if present.     getmenuinflater().inflate(r.menu.menu_main, menu);     return true; }  @override public boolean onoptionsitemselected(menuitem item) {     // handle action bar item clicks here. action bar     // automatically handle clicks on home/up button, long     // specify parent activity in androidmanifest.xml.     int id = item.getitemid();      //noinspection simplifiableifstatement     if (id == r.id.action_settings) {         return true;     }      return super.onoptionsitemselected(item); } } 

thanks assistance :).

your activity extends appcompatactivity, have use appcompatactivity themes. use in styles.xml

parent="theme.appcompat.light"

and if want use toolbar, can rid of actionbar using :

parent="theme.appcompat.light.noactionbar"