Final answer:
The Mali and Songhai empires were powerful kingdoms in West Africa. The Mali Empire was ruled by Mansa Musa while the Songhai Empire had a series of powerful Sunni Ali and Askia Muhammad leaders. The Mali Empire had a larger territory and focused on trade, while the Songhai Empire focused on agriculture.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Mali and Songhai empires were both powerful kingdoms in West Africa during the medieval period. While they shared some similarities, such as being located in the same region and being influenced by Islam, there were also significant differences between the two.
- Leadership: The Mali Empire was famously ruled by Mansa Musa, who is known for his extravagant pilgrimage to Mecca and his promotion of Islam. On the other hand, the Songhai Empire was ruled by a series of powerful Sunni Ali and Askia Muhammad leaders.
- Territory: The Mali Empire was larger in terms of geographical extent, stretching from the Atlantic Ocean to the Niger River. In contrast, the Songhai Empire was primarily centered around the Niger River and Lake Chad.
- Trade and Economy: The Mali Empire was known for its prosperous trade routes, especially in gold and salt. Mansa Musa's pilgrimage to Mecca, for example, brought wealth and attention to Mali. The Songhai Empire also participated in trade but had a strong focus on agriculture, particularly through the development of the agricultural practice of floodplain farming.
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