Why do you think maize was so important to these civilizations

Explanation:

Maize was the staple crop in Mesoamerica. It is a versatile grain which can be grown in the wet lowlands as well as the drier mountain areas. It flourishes when repeatedly harvested and cut down, and provides a rich nutritional carbohydrate foodstuff.

Maize was so important to the ancient Mayans that it even had spiritual and religious significance. Indeed, according to Mayan legends, humans were created from maize (after two unsuccessful attempts to create humans out of mud or wood). In addition to the creation story, many of the Mayan legends revolve around maize, and images of maize have been found on archeological artifacts, murals, and hieroglyphs of these early civilizations. Key Mayan gods include the Tonsured Maize God and the Foliated Maize God. The Tonsured God’s head is shaven to represent a maize cob, with a small crest of hair to represent the tassel. The Foliated Maize God, on the other hand, symbolizes a still young, tender and green maize ear.

mali had been a state inside of the ghanaian empire. after ghana fell because of invading forces and internal disputes, mali rose to greatness under the leadership of a legendary king named sundiata, the "lion king." the songhai empire, already weakened by internal political struggles, went into decline.

i believe your answer is mountains.