Final answer:
West and East African cultures from 1200-1450 were similar in their prosperity through trade but were different in terms of geographic orientation, political structures, and religious practices. West Africa focused on trans-Saharan trade and developed centralized kingdoms, while East Africa was oriented towards Indian Ocean trade and was characterized by city-states with a blend of animistic and Islamic practices.
Step-by-step explanation:
Between 1200-1450, West African and East African cultures both experienced prosperity through trade but had distinctive social, political, and cultural practices. In West Africa, the empires of Ghana, Mali, and Songhay rose to pre-eminence, with a strong focus on trans-Saharan trade routes linking them to North Africa and Islamic sultanates.
These empires were marked by powerful kingdoms and the growth of cities like Timbuktu, which became centers of learning and commerce.
East Africa, on the other hand, was known for its Swahili Coast city-states such as Kilwa. The East African coast became a melting pot of cultures due to the interactions between Arab traders, Indonesians, and local peoples known as the "Zanj."
East African society was defined by the growth of a Swahili culture, which blended local customs with Islamic influences and became a hub for Indian Ocean trade.
The main differences stem from geographic orientations and resultant economic networks—West Africa oriented towards the Sahara and overland trade with Islamic regions to the north, while East Africa was oriented towards the Indian Ocean, connecting with Arab and Asian merchants.
Additionally, political structures varied, with West Africa developing large centralized kingdoms, while East Africa saw the rise of city-states, which operated more independently.
The societies also differed in terms of the spread of Islam, with West African empires adopting Islam more uniformly compared to the syncretic blend of animism and Islam in East Africa. This period, while marked by the flourishing of trade and culture, led up to the consequential changes wrought by the Trans-Atlantic slave trade in later centuries.