6th Grade UBD - Unit 7 – The Mongols

Essential Question How did Mongol conquest change relations between regional societies?

Preview The Mongols in War- Under Genghis Khan and his successors, the Mongols conquered the largest empire in history up to that time. The Mongols at Peace- After their conquests, the Mongols promoted trade and cultural exchange throughout their empire and beyond.

Key Ideas- The Mongols in War The Mongols used swift attacks and terrifying tactics to break the spirit of their enemies and conquer their territory. The Mongolian Empire at its greatest bordered on the Pacific Ocean, the Himalayan Mountains, the Black Sea, and the Persian Gulf. The mounted warriors of the Mongol Empire had a distinct advantage in combat that helped them to conquer a vast amount of land.

The Beginnings of the Mongol Empire Under the leadership of Genghis Khan, all the nomadic tribes of Mongolia came together. In the early 1200s to create the Great Mongol Nation.

The Beginnings of the Mongol Empire Genghis Khan united tribes by: incorporating the established laws into a single system.

The Beginnings of the Mongol Empire Genghis Khan amassed an army of 80,000 fierce, cunning, highly skilled warriors. For a period of six years, Genghis worked on establishing Mongolia’s laws and forming alliances with neighboring nations. Eventually, however, Genghis set his sights on expansion.

The Mongol Empire Genghis’s first conquest was the Jurched Kingdom of northern China. His army became adept at defeating enemies in many settings, from steppe warfare to attacks on fortified cities.

The Mongol Army  They used swift attacks and terrifying tactics—destroying the food supply The made secret alliances with rebel forces. Launched unexpected attacks, etc.—to demoralize their enemies and conquer their territory.

The Mongol Army His mounted warriors could live for days on horseback. Their saddlebags carried food, spare clothes, tools, and weapons.

The Mongol Empire Mongol warriors commanded horses with the pressure of their legs alone. So, they could even shoot arrows at a full gallop.

The Mongol Empire After conquering northern China, Genghis and his warriors moved toward Central Asia with the goal of controlling all the territory along the Silk Road. By 1221, the Mongol Empire had expanded to include Central Asia.

Mongol Conquests Following Genghis Khan’s death in 1227, his sons shared control of the vast empire. The empire continued to expand.

Mongol Conquests By 1290, the Mongol Empire stretched from : The Pacific Ocean to the Black and Mediterranean Seas and from the Himalayan Mountains to the Persian Gulf. The Mongols controlled China, Central Asia, Russia, and parts of the Middle East and Hungary.

Life Under the Mongols Women held more rights under the Mongol Empire than in most other cultures at that time. Mongol men were always preparing for/or were at war.

Life Under the Mongols Women took on many economic roles, or roles having to do with money. Some women even served in the army. Women had the right to divorce and to own property during the Mongol Empire.

Life Under the Mongols The Mongols did not impose their language and culture on the people they conquered. Under their rule, people had freedom of religion. 

Life Under the Mongols Kublai Khan was Genghis Khan’s grandson established himself as the Great Khan.

Life Under the Mongols Kublai Khan reorganized the government to include both Chinese and foreign officials, and he brought in translators to make it possible for the various cultures in the empire to share ideas. 

Pax Mongolica In just 50 years, the Mongols had conquered the largest empire the world had ever known. Now, across their huge kingdom, warfare had all but stopped.

Pax Mongolica The Mongols established safe trade routes in all the lands they controlled. This included the entire length of the Silk Road. As a result, traders from as far away as Europe could finally journey to China without fear of attack.

Polo Family Among the first Europeans to visit China was Marco Polo, who traveled there with his father and his uncle as a teenager. Polo spent 17 years in China, where he impressed Kublai Khan with his intelligence and skill at learning languages.

Marco Polo’s Book Polo wrote a book about his travels in China and his experiences in the court of the Great Khan.

Marco Polo’s Book Through Polo’s book, Europeans learned of China’s great wealth as well as the country’s technology, food, plants, and animals. 

Marco Polo’s Book Marco’s book was translated, or changed, into nearly every European language. Many people could not believe that what he described was true.

Marco Polo’s Book Europeans made fun of Polo and he was known as “Marco of a million lies.” Yet, the book described the journey to China in careful detail. Merchants and travelers used it as a guide well into the 1800s.

Marco Polo’s Book Marco Polo’s book about China even inspired future explorers, such as Christopher Columbus, to go in search of the exotic land of Asia.