The Songhai instituted several policies that enabled them consolidate power such as:
- Maintaining a strong army
- Controlling trade on the river Niger
- Religious freedom
The Songhai empire was one of the largest empires that was ever seen in Africa as it controlled over 300,000 mi² at its height.
It was able to grow and maintain control because:
- It had a strong army - their armies were able to conquer other areas and maintain control of those areas by guarding against revolts and invasions.
- It controlled trade - West Africa at the time was benefitting immensely from the trans-Sahara trade and so the Songhai took over a significant portion of this and made a lot of money from taxes and government trade.
- Religious tolerance - Even though the Songhai were Muslims, they passed laws that guaranteed religious freedom for all and this drew people to the empire thereby allowing it to grow.
In conclusion, the Songhai empire was able to become as big as it was due to a mix of factors such as controlling trade and maintaining a strong army.
Find out more at https://brainly.com/question/13907998.
