The rulers of the west african kingdoms expanded their lands by a. conquering surrounding kingdoms b. deforesting surrounding areas c. making treaties with neighboring kingdoms d. expanding their boundaries into the sahara desert

The correct answer is option A. "conquering surrounding kingdoms".

Explanation:

The three more important kingdoms of West African were the kingdoms of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai. These three kingdoms dealt with independent rival kingdoms by conquering them and taking their lands and control over trade routes. Usually, West African kingdoms expanded by conquering surrounding kingdoms. For instance, the Mali Empire became one of the largest by defeating nearby kingdoms, including the empire of Ghana.