West Africa and the Americas Compare and Contrast Essay

West Africa and the Americas Compare and Contrast Essay

The complex civilizations that existed in West Africa and the Americas prior to European civilization had similarities as well as differences in how they ran their civilizations. These regions had some of the same religious characteristics. Also, the roles and actions of women in these societies had some immense differences. The Inca society and the kingdom of Mali had some of the same religious characteristics. Both the Inca society and the kingdom of Mali had believed in ancestor worship. This means they believed that their ancestors can interfere with the world. They also worshipped different multiple gods. These were gods of nature. Inti, the sun god, was an important god of the Inca society. Although the people of Mali did not conduct in sacrificial practices, they still believed these different spiritual gods controlled the world and what happened. The roles and actions of the women in the kingdom of Mali and the Aztec civilization were immensely different. Even the males had more power, women of Mali were that unequal. They could gain political power and they worked as potters. Women also did not have to wear a veil and women were even allowed to socialize. The women of the Aztec civilization did not have as many options as the women of Mali, however. The Aztec women only had two roles in society. These women were to bear the children and do house work, that’s it. Both the Aztec and Inca civilizations and the kingdom of Mali had their similar and their different qualities. These similarities and differences were some of the main concepts that made them both complex civilizations. Even though these societies were separated from each other, they still managed to be great and complex