MONGOL CONQUESTS CHAPTER 12, SECTIONS 2&3

MONGOL EMPIRE-RISE Mongols were a nomadic people who grazed their horses and sheep on the steppes of Central Asia. In the 1200’s, a brilliant chieftain united the Mongol tribes. He called himself Genghis Khan which means “World Emperor” Under his leadership the Mongols conquered many lands from the Pacific Ocean to Eastern Europe.

GENGHIS KHAN Genghis Khan imposed strict military discipline and demanded absolute loyalty His armies were highly trained and mobile He had a reputation of being fierce but he could also be very generous His armies conquered the Asian steppe lands easily, but faced difficulty when they went after China He did not live to see the conqueror of China but his heirs continued to expand the Mongol empire

MONGOL RULE The Mongols were not oppressive rulers Allowed conquered people to live the same as they had before as long as they paid tribute to the Mongol rulers Genghis Khan ruled conquered lands with toleration and justice, he listened to many ideas and respected scholars, artists, and artisans. The Mongol warrior had no use for city life.

MONGOL PEACE Pax Mongolica: Mongol Peace-during the 1200’s and 1300’s. Political stability allowed economic growth Control of the Silk Road-trade flourished Increased cultural exchanges Food Tools Inventions Ideas

KUBLAI KHAN Grandson of Genghis Khan Tried to prevent the Mongols from being absorbed into Chinese civilization Only allowed Mongols to serve in his army An uneasy mix of Chinese and foreign ways developed Adopted a Chinese name for his dynasty-YUAN Capable but demanding ruler Decline of Yuan dynasty after death

WESTERN VISITORS Marco Polo, Italian merchant, spent 17 yrs in Kublai’s service Wrote of the splendor of Kublai’s palace and of all the wealth found in China Other visitors from Europe and Asia Muslims set up their own communities in China

MING DYNASTY Mongols were pushed out of China in 1368, after the death of Kublai Khan Ming rulers sought to reassert Chinese greatness Restored the civil service system Confucian learning was once again the road to success Economic revival Population increase Fertilizing improvements Industry, porcelain, paper, and tools Repaired the canal system Book production Cultural revival Arts and Literature

CHINA AND THE WORLD Expeditions across seas Turning Inward Zheng He, 1405-1433 Goals were to promote trade and collect tribute from lesser powers Turning Inward 1433, Zheng He dies and the Ming rulers abandon any further attempts to explore outside territories Lack of profits and Confucian scholars disinterest are the main causes for this abandonment

SUMMARY OF THE MONGOL AND MING EMPIRES Trade and cultural exchange flourished because Mongol rule ensured safe passage along the Silk Road and other trade routes. Goods and ideas from many cultures traveled with merchants along these routes-Cultural Diffusion Kublai Khan tried to keep Mongols from being absorbed into Chinese society/culture Ming rulers restored Confucian values and the civil service system Goals of the Ming sea expeditions were to promote trade, collect tribute and show the strength of the Chinese empire