1. Mongol Conquests

2. Background As the Chinese enjoy the Song Dynasty…
An enemy to the north was starting to gain strength

3. Asian Steppe Two purposes Trade route connecting East to West
Home to nomadic people

5. Asian Steppe http://www.mefrg.org/habitat.asp

6. Yurt http://www.yurtinfo.org/yurtstory.php

7. Video

8. Nomadic People Pastoralists – Herded domestic animals
Always on the move following seasonal patterns in clans
Depended on animals to survive
Used to hardship and scarcity
Makes for tough people

9. Why were the people of the steppe region nomadic?
Dry, windswept land makes poor farmland

10. Mongols For years have been divided into nomadic tribes Leadership?
Temujin otherwise known as Genghis Khan or “Universal Ruler”

11. Genghis Khan In 1200, united the Mongols under common goal
First step to invade China
Destroying one city at a time
1225 Central Asia under Mongol control

12. Genghis Khan
“Man’s greatest fortune is to chase and defeat his enemy, seize his total possessions, leave his married women weeping and wailing, and ride his horse.”

13. Key Characteristics of Genghis Khan
Brilliant Organizer
Strategic Genius
Ferocious – No mercy

14. What are advantages to using cruelty as a weapon?
Some enemies surrendering without a fight
What are some disadvantages?
Unrest among survivors

15. New Leadership
Genghis dies from illness
Successors continue to expand empire
Created largest unified land empire in history

17. Mongols as Leaders Some conquered areas never recovered
Tigris & Euphrates River valleys could no longer support settlements
Rarely imposed beliefs on conquered people
Often adopted aspects of different cultures

18. Mongol Peace Imposed stability and law over area
Safe passage for trade caravans, travelers, and missionaries
Ideas and inventions as well as trade goods were shared

19. Mongol Empire Kublai Khan Grandson of Genghis United China
Greater foreign contacts & trade
Mongols lived separately from Chinese

20. Mongol Empire Marco Polo From Venice
Sent by Kublai Khan to Chinese cities on missions
Stories of mission made into book
Fails to mention many aspects of Chinese culture
Some doubt Polo’s word

21. End of Empire Kublai Khan’s death Rebellion of Chinese
Natural disasters & economic problems
1368 Mongol Empire overthrown

22. Complete Mongol Fighting Force Notes & Map