Final answer:
Song China had a centralized bureaucratic government with the emperor as the ultimate authority, while Islamic states had a more decentralized system with local governors and tribal leaders having significant authority.
Step-by-step explanation:
One difference in how Song China and Islamic states organized and exercised power in the period from c. 1200 to c. 1450 is their political structures. Song China had a centralized bureaucratic government with an emperor at the top and a well-developed civil service system. The emperor had ultimate authority and made important decisions. In contrast, many Islamic states were ruled by sultans or caliphs who held both political and religious power. The Islamic states had a more decentralized system with local governors and tribal leaders having significant authority.