Which empire is considered the successor to the Mali Empire, with Gao as its capital?

Which empire is considered the successor to the Mali Empire, with Gao as its capital?

• A. Ghana
• B. Songhai
• C. Mali
• D. Kanem-Bornu

Answer: (B)

The main idea here is identifying the empire that rose after the Mali Empire and had Gao as its capital. After Mali’s decline, the Songhai Empire emerged in the western Sahel, with Gao serving as its political heart. Songhai expanded along the trans-Saharan trade routes and controlled major centers like Timbuktu and Djenné, solidifying its status as the region’s dominant power and seen as Mali’s successor in this period. The other options fit different times or regions: Ghana came earlier than Mali, Kanem-Bornu was centered around Lake Chad, and Mali itself was the predecessor, not the successor.

The main idea here is identifying the empire that rose after the Mali Empire and had Gao as its capital. After Mali’s decline, the Songhai Empire emerged in the western Sahel, with Gao serving as its political heart. Songhai expanded along the trans-Saharan trade routes and controlled major centers like Timbuktu and Djenné, solidifying its status as the region’s dominant power and seen as Mali’s successor in this period. The other options fit different times or regions: Ghana came earlier than Mali, Kanem-Bornu was centered around Lake Chad, and Mali itself was the predecessor, not the successor.