Which statement best describes how physical geography contributed to the decline of West African empires?(1 point)
Landslides and flooding destroyed villages, causing the population to use violence to gain food.
Salt was overmined, leading to shortages and protests by miners who demanded more gold for their work.
Hurricanes forced many to migrate east toward central Africa, which reduced the size of the armies.
Periods of drought led to declines in food production and increased migration of people seeking better conditions.
Periods of drought led to declines in food production and increased migration of people seeking better conditions.
The statement that best describes how physical geography contributed to the decline of West African empires is: "Periods of drought led to declines in food production and increased migration of people seeking better conditions." This option suggests that the empires faced challenges due to limited food production caused by drought, which led to migration as people sought better living conditions elsewhere.
To arrive at this answer, we need to analyze the options given and eliminate those that do not directly relate to the impact of physical geography on the decline of West African empires.
Option 1 suggests landslides and flooding destroying villages, but the connection to the decline of empires is not explicitly stated. It focuses more on the use of violence to gain food as a result of destroyed villages.
Option 2 mentions overmining of salt leading to shortages and protests, but does not indicate a direct connection to the decline of the empires. It focuses more on the demands of miners for more gold.
Option 3 mentions hurricanes causing migration eastward, reducing the size of the armies. While this could have had an impact on the empires, it does not address the broader factors contributing to their decline.
Finally, option 4 highlights periods of drought leading to declines in food production and increased migration. This statement directly addresses the connection between physical geography (drought) and the decline of West African empires, as it emphasizes the impact on food production and subsequent migration.
Therefore, option 4 is the statement that best describes how physical geography contributed to the decline of West African empires.