Trade and Economy

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  • Askia Mohammed Toure introduced measures and weights to standardize trading and adding inspectors for all the good being traded at each of the empire's important trading centers.
  • Gold and salt were the most commonly traded items. 
  • The Songhai empire was known for its production of religious artifacts and practical tools.
  • There were many different tribes and clans that were part of the Songhai empire. Generally, each clan had a specific occupation. 
  • The empire also had a class system, where nobles and direct descendants of the Songhai people were at the top and war captives were at the bottom. The majority of society was in the middle, working as fisherman, metalworkers, and builders.