2. The Mongols
During the Middle Ages, a group of nomadic peoples called the Mongols lived in Central Asia
Lived North of the Gobi Desert – its arid and harsh to live in
Had few possessions other than yurts – circular tents
Caused the Mongols to move around to find water and food
They Trained boys and girls to ride horses - valued courage and strength
Mongols were also surrounded by other tribes like the Tatars, Naimans, Merkits and the Jurchen in modern China
Desired the wealth of tribes/kingdoms that were near the Silk Roads/luxury goods
Silk, Gold, Jewels, Spices, etc.

4. Temujin and Genghis Khan
Future Mongol Leader Temujin was born in 1162 A.D.
His father was leader of his tribe; Temujin and his mother were mistreated by his father’s other wife’s family
Temujin challenged and killed his stepbrother after attempts were made on his life – took power of his tribe clan
Temujin Unified the Mongol tribes through force and negotiation
He then Took the name of Genghis Khan “ruler of all”
Genghis led his troops and Attacked the Jin Empire in North China and took its capital – present day Beijing
Turned his attention westward and conquered the Kara Khitai (Central Asia) and Khwarazm (Muslim) Empires
By 1227 A.D. - Genghis Khan’s kingdom reached from China to Eastern Persia

5. Mongolian Tactics
Mongolian soldiers were adept riders; trained in using short bows
Highly disciplined; 10 soldiers operated as a single unit
Units of 10 were then group into bigger units of a thousand soldiers called tumens (similar to legions)
Cavalry units were divided into heavy and light cavalry
A Messenger force was created to could ride for days without stopping; even slept on their horses while riding
Another unit was created to scout the terrain and prepare for/against attacks
One strategy was a smaller force was used to lure enemies to the larger Mongol force
Mongols also Used captured engineers to create siege weapons – towers and catapults – break through city walls
Would sometimes send over decapitated heads to lower morale or diseased bodies to infect and kill off the city

8. Genghis Khan at Peace
Genghis Khan established his capital in Karakorum, in what is now modern day Mongolia
He Instituted a policy of religious tolerance throughout his empire
Felt that exchange of ideas and beliefs was healthy for society
He consulted scholars and engineers of Chinese and Islamic traditions to create Karakorum
Ordered his soldiers to protect the Silk Road, making it safe for trade and traffic not seen since the Roman and Han empires
Genghis Khan died while fighting the Tangut Empire south of the Gobi Desert in 1227 A.D.
His sons and grandsons continued his legacy of conquest and took lands from Russia, the Middle East, Central Asia and Easternmost China

10. Kublai Khan and the Yuan Dynasty
Kublai Khan, Genghis’ grandson, led his people against the Song Dynasty and defeated them in 1271 A.D.
Established the Yuan Dynasty in China
Instituted policy of religious tolerance; helpful towards groups that had been persecuted in China such as the Muslims and Christians
Modernized trade with the West
In particular, he invited members of European courts to stay Kublai’s court to exchange ideas/theories and negotiate trade
Marco Polo was one such Venetian merchant who traveled with his father to Kublai’s court in 1295; wrote a book about the size and wealth of Yuan China
Many Europeans refused to believe such a place didn’t exist until more merchants made their way to China physically and confirmed Beijing’s existence
Supported Chinese arts and literature – classics like the Romance of the West Chamber by Wang Shifu was written at this time

12. Fall of the Mongols
Mongolian leaders ended up alienating the Chinese people during the Yuan Dynasty
They hired foreigners to the government rather than hire native born Chinese
They also did away with the civil service exam system – upset the scholar bureaucrat class
Mongols tried to conquer Japan, Indochina, Burma, and Java during the 1300s but most campaigns ended in failure
Showed the Chinese that the Mongols were weakening
Central Asian Mongol territories were conquered by Tamerlane, a Turkish conqueror who was also from Central Asia
Final nail in the coffin was the Rebellion in China led by Zhu Yuanzhang, a Buddhist monk from a peasant family, in 1368
Rebellion Ousted the Mongols – established the Ming Dynasty
Zhu Yuanzhang crowns himself first emperor/Hongwu of the new Ming Dynasty

13. Hongwu Emperor – Zhu Yuanzhang
Tamerlane
Hongwu Emperor – Zhu Yuanzhang

14. Mongols Web-Quest
Student will get into pairs and get one laptop from the cart
Students will look at handout for URL to type in the internet browser
The required links for the assignment are: and
The assignment is divided into two sections: one section for each link
Together, the students will access the links and find the information to the questions on the handout
Handout is due by the end of the period

16. List 3-4 examples of Mongol culture in the articles
The Mongols
Name:
Date:
Period:
List 3-4 examples of Mongol culture in the articles
List 3-4 contributions of the Mongols
List 3-4 accomplishments of Genghis Khan
List 2-3 reasons the Mongol Empire fell apart