THE MONGOL & MING EMPIRES CHAPTER 12, SECTION 2

Mongolian Armies build an Empire Mongols – nomadic people Grazed horses and sheep on steppes of Asia Rival clans spent time warring with each other 1200’s – GENGHIS KAHN (“Universal Ruler”) Unified many of the clans under one leadership Able to conquer an empire from the Pacific into Eastern Europe

Mongols invade China Genghis Kahn – strict military discipline & absolute loyalty Characteristics Most trained horsemen in the world Fierce beyond belief Would often massacre an entire city, yet reward a single fighter

Mongols find problems Conquer Asian steppe lands with ease Turn on China, Mongols encounter walled cities Had learned how to use earliest cannon from Chinese and Turks Chinese and Mongols fired at each other or years Cannon warfare would eventually make it to Europe Kahn would die before the conquering of China Heirs would eventually dominate Asia and all of China Destroy the province of Sichuan and capital city of Chengdu

Mongols establish peace Once in control, Mongols were NOT oppressive rulers Allowed people to live as they did before – as long as they paid a “tribute” Genghis Kahn established ideas of toleration Religious Education Artistic Pax Mongolica Mongolian Peace Time period run by the grandsons of Genghis Kahn Trade flourished along the Silk Road Multiple exchanges Food, tools, inventions, gunpowder, use of windmills,

China under Mongolian rule Mongols needed almost 70 years to totally take over China Genghis Kahn’s grandson KUBLAI KAHN topples the last Chinese emperor Rules China from city of Kahnbaliq (Beijing) along with Korea, Tibet, & Vietnam

China under Kublai Kahn All-Mongol government Chinese still ran provinces All-Mongol military Kublai Kahn’s rule became known as the YUAN dynasty Welcomed many travelers to the court, most famously Marco Polo Vivid account of Chinese wealth Described the opulence of Kublai Kahn and the advances of the Mongol Chinese (swift mail system) Kahn continued exchanges with many European countries.

THE MING DYNASTY Achievements…

Ming Dynasty Return to Chinese rule Ming = “BRILLIANT” Toppled the Mongolian Army Fought to reassert Chinese greatness Restored civil service, Confucian learning, and shrunk bureacracy Economy grows, mainly under agriculture Fertilizing methods New crops (sweet potatoes & corn) New landscaping Revivial of arts and literature Porcelain painting Growth of the naval forces Led by Zheng He Exploration of waters around Asia