Final answer:
The two principal goods that the medieval empires of West Africa traded in were gold and salt. These commodities were central to the wealth and power of empires like Mali and Songhai.
Step-by-step explanation:
The medieval empires of West Africa were renowned for trading in two principal goods: gold and salt. Both commodities were essential to the wealth and power of these kingdoms. Gold was not only valuable for its own sake but also critical for minting coins and facilitating high-value trade, with much of it eventually reaching the Middle East and Europe. Salt, on the other hand, was essential for preserving food and almost as valuable as gold, especially since it was scarce in regions south of the Sahara.
The Mali Empire, as well as the later Songhai Empire, utilized the wealth generated from these trades to fund armies and administrative systems. They imposed taxes on trade goods and controlled the production of gold in the region. In addition to gold and salt, other commodities like ivory, copper, and enslaved people were also traded, albeit on a smaller scale, and contributed to the economic complexity of the empires.