gold, salt, kola nuts, cowrie shells, spices, clothes, and slaves
Mainly, silk, gold, and salt was traded, along with other less popular items like Ivory, pottery, spices, and obviously camels (not the cigarette kind) :)
Some goods that were traded in the Songhai kingdom included gold, salt, ivory, slaves, horses, and various commodities such as textiles and grain. The kingdom's strategic location along trans-Saharan trade routes facilitated the exchange of these goods with other regions in Africa and beyond.
Africans engaged in extensive trade along trans-Saharan routes, exchanging valuable goods such as gold, salt, ivory, and textiles with merchants from North Africa and beyond. This trade network facilitated cultural and economic exchanges, significantly impacting the societies involved. The introduction of camels revolutionized transportation, allowing for more efficient trade across the harsh desert terrain. Ultimately, these interactions helped to foster the growth of powerful empires and cities in West Africa, such as Timbuktu and Gao.
Trans-Saharan trade primarily involved the exchange of goods such as gold, salt, and ivory across the Sahara Desert, connecting West Africa with North Africa and the Mediterranean. In contrast, the trans-Atlantic trade, particularly during the Atlantic slave trade, centered on the forced transportation of enslaved Africans to the Americas, along with the exchange of goods like sugar, tobacco, and rum. While both trade routes significantly impacted economic and cultural exchanges, the trans-Atlantic trade was marked by its brutal human cost and demographic shifts, whereas trans-Saharan trade was rooted more in the exchange of commodities and cultural interactions. Additionally, the trans-Saharan trade was conducted over land routes, while trans-Atlantic trade primarily utilized maritime routes.
they traded with very many things which were very valuable goods like salt, gold, spices from India, weapons from Kush and iron tools. Later on when the oases developed into towns they even traded camels, donkeys, goats, fabrics and important linen.
The Indian Ocean trade involved the Swahili Coast (along Eastern Africa), the Spice Islands (Southeastern Asia), India, China, and the Middle East. The Trans-Saharan trade involved the Western Africa empires of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai, in that order, and Northern Africa. They also interacted with the Arabs. The Indian Ocean traded mainly traded cotton cloth, textiles, and spices like pepper, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Trans-Saharan trade exchanged mostly gold from Northern Africa for salt in Western Africa. It also traded ivory, slaves, and exotic animals.
The Arabs brought the Muslim religion (Islam) to Africa.
In ancient Songhai, the primary currency was gold, particularly in the form of gold dust, which was used for trade and transactions. Additionally, silver and copper were also utilized, along with a variety of traded goods such as salt, textiles, and agricultural products. The wealth of the Songhai Empire was largely derived from its control of the trans-Saharan trade routes, which facilitated the exchange of these valuable commodities.
Thousands of years. The ancient Greeks traded along the coastlines and all the ancient societies traded with each other overland and by sea routes.
Merchants were motivated to conduct commerce along the Silk Road and through trans-Saharan trade primarily due to the demand for luxury goods, such as silk, spices, and gold, which were highly sought after in various regions. The potential for high profits from these valuable commodities incentivized long-distance trade. Additionally, the establishment of trade networks and the exchange of cultural knowledge and technologies enhanced the appeal of these routes, facilitating connections between diverse civilizations. Finally, the rise of powerful empires and stable political conditions along these routes further encouraged commercial activities.
Sonni Ali strengthened the Songhai Empire by expanding its territory through military conquests, consolidating power through centralized administration, and promoting trade along the Trans-Saharan trade routes. He also implemented a system of tribute collection and established a navy to control trade along the Niger River.
Yes, the landform of the Songhai Empire was suitable for their civilization as it included fertile lands along the Niger River which supported agriculture and trade. Additionally, the empire's location allowed for control over important trans-Saharan trade routes.