Chapter 12 Section 3 Deborah Thompson

Mongol soldiers used silk clothes instead of heavy armor in battle. When a soldier was hit with an arrow, the arrow entered the soldier’s body but could be easily removed because the arrowhead was caught in the soldier’s silk clothing.

Who were the Mongols? Genghis Khan and his sons built the Mongol Empire, which stretched from the Pacific Ocean to Eastern Europe The Mongols conquered China and created a new dynasty that tried to conquer Japan and began trading with the rest of Asia. They lived in tribes, or groups of related families. They were nomadic herders who grazed their animals on the steppes, wide, rolling grassy plains.

Mongols were known for: Ability to ride horses Ability to wage war

His name was Temujin, which means “blacksmith.” He became Genghis Khan which means “strong ruler.”

Invaded China in 1211 then conquered kingdoms that controlled parts of the Silk Road Drafted a law code Chose army officers for ability, not family ties Gathered an army of 100,000 soldiers Created a group of tribal chiefs to help him plan military campaigns 1 st conquered steppes Actions of Genghis Khan

Ghengis Khan died in 1227, and his empire was dividedAmong 4 sons. his grandson united the empire Baghdad fell to Mongols in Egyptians stopped their advance. The Mongols created the largest empire the world had ever seen.

They learned much from the Chinese, including gunpowder and the fire lance. Peace helped Mongols gain wealth through taxing trade. Adopted inventions and ideas helped strenghthen the Mongol military. Theyrespectedcultures of places conquered and adopted beliefs and customs of many places.

Kublai Khan became the new khan (ruler). He completely wiped out the Song Dynasty within a decade by conquering southern China. He moved the Capital from Karakorum to Khanbaliq (now modern Beijing). Mongols conquered China and created a new dynasty that tried to conquer Japan and began trading with the rest of Asia. He set up the Yuan Dynasty. Yuan means beginning. It lasted for only about 100 years,and 30 of that was led by Kublai Khan

This is a painting depicting Mongols under the Dynasty. Notice the dress of the people and skin color.

Mongol Empire Under Genghis Khan 1227

Mongol Empire 1294

Mongols in China Mongol leaders had top government jobs. The Mongols had a policy of tolerance. Many Chinese scholar- officials ran the Government. The Mongols had their own language, laws, and customs. There was little mixing with the Chinese.

Mongols were mostly Buddhist, but they allowed other religions from outside China to exist within the empire. Mongols welcomed foreigners because they mistrusted the Chinese. Many foreigners came to China because of wider trade with the west.

China became very wealthy during Mongol rule. Khanbaliq was known for its splendor and accommodations. ppppp Imports: silver, spices, carpets, and cotton Exports: Tea, silk, porcelain, and discoveries such as: gunpowder, the compass and steelmaking

“ I did not tell half of what I saw.” -these were the last words of Marco Polo

Importance of Marco Polo He traveled from Venice, Italy to China in the 1200s to serve Kublai Khan. He made many exploratory trips for Kublai Khan in 16 years and wrote a book about his travels and about the wonders of China.

Mongol invasions Koryo (leaders in Korea) accepted the Mongols like the Chinese and remained in power there. Mongols conquered Vietnam and North Korea. Forced labor in Korea helped the Mongols plan an invasion on the island nation of Japan.