Ap World Compare and Contrast Essay Example for Free

Ap World Compare and Contrast Essay During the years 1200 to 1500 CE, two ideal empires, Mali of Sub – Saharan Africa and the Aztecs of the Americas developed into truly influential and powerful empires. Both empires shared a similarity in economy but a different society. The Mali and Aztecs both traded, but while Mali traded with Islamic regions developing Islamic institutions within its borders, the Aztecs traded locally consequently not being influenced by outside cultures. Both Empires differed in society in which women in Mali tended to have more rights than women in an Aztec society whom they had little to no role in their society. Also social structure of both societies varied in which Mali had extended families and clans serve as the main foundation of their social structure while Aztec society was mainly a hierarchy with military elite as their main source of authority. The Mali Empire and the Aztec Empire rose in different locations thus they had different ways of approaching different aspects of their culture but both empires still shared some key aspects also. The Mali Empire and the Aztec Empire both benefited and flourished from trade. The Mali Empire came very much in contact with Islamic based regions when they traded items such as gold, ivory, and slaves. Trade for Mali had cultural implications because it facilitated the introduction of Islam to the region. Aztecs traded with nearby people of their society and traded textiles, rabbit – fur blankets, embroidered clothes, jewelry, and obsidian knifes. Aztec society did not experience an introduction of new cultural ideas because they traded only locally. Trading for both society stimulated agricultural growth and for the Mali empire also stimulated introduction to Islam. Women roles in Mali and Aztec society were very much different. Women in the Mali Empire generally had more opportunities open to them than did their counterparts in other lands did. Women influenced public affairs and even participated actively in both local and long distance trade. While the women of the Mali Empire enjoyed more rights, the women of Aztec society experienced little to no rights. Women of Aztec society played almost no role in the political affairs of a society. Women were not able to inherit property or hold high officials as the women of the Mali were able to do. Extended families and clans served as the main foundation of social and economic organization in Mali society. The male heads of the families governed the village and organized the work of their own groups. The aspect of family was well intertwined with authority. Thus most villagers functioned in society firsts as members of a family or a clan. Although families were the main foundation of the social classes in Mali society, in Aztec it was much different. Aztec society was rigidly hierarchical, with public honors and rewards going to the military elite. The military elite were the main authority of social organization in the Aztec society. As a result families were the main aspect of social structure in Mali society while military elites were the main social aspect in Aztec society. Therefore, both Mali and Aztec Empires benefited from trade but they received different responses from it. Mali was introduced to Islam from trade because of trading to other societies. Aztecs did not experience any change in culture because they traded locally. Women roles were different in both societies, women of Mali enjoyed more rights in comparison to the women of Aztec society whom received little to no rights. The social structure of Mali was generally a more family based authority while Aztec society was of a military elite social structure. Although both empires were from different parts of the world they both were successful in becoming significant and influential empires.