1. The Mongols The Mongols were illiterate. Sparsely populated their lands. No more than 700,000 total.

2. The Mongols They were originally herdsmen on the grassy plains north of the Gobi Desert. Before the year 1200, they were fragmented.

3. The Mongols Moving about in small bands headed by a chief, or Khan. Living in portable dwellings, like tipis

4. The Mongols They frequently fought over turf. During hard times they occasionally raided.

5. The Mongols The Mongols endured frequent hard times. Finding few areas for grazing their animals.

6. The Mongols Interested in goods rather than bloodshed. They did not collect heads or scalps as trophies. They did not notch wood to record their kills.

7. The Mongols In 1206, a leader named Temujin took the title Universal Ruler. Which translates to Genghis Khan.

8. Genghis Khan Like peoples everywhere… The Mongols saw themselves at the center of the universe. The greatest of people and favored by the gods.

9. Genghis Khan They justified Khan's success in warfare. Claiming that he was the rightful master of the entire world. Genghis Khan continued organizing.

10. Genghis Khan He improved his military organization. This served as a mobile political bureaucracy.

11. Genghis Khan He broke up what was left of old enemy tribes. Leaving only those tribes that had proved their loyalty to him.

12. Genghis Khan He created a body of law that he was to work on throughout his life.

13. Genghis Khan He made the kidnapping of women a crime. He declared all children legitimate, whomever the mother.

14. Genghis Khan He made it law that no woman would be sold into marriage. The stealing of animals was made a capital offense. A lost animal was to be returned to its owner.

15. Genghis Khan Taking lost property as one's own was to be considered thievery and a capital offense. He regulated hunting, improving the availability of meat for everyone.

16. Genghis Khan He introduced written record keeping. He had his native language put into writing.

17. Genghis Khan He created official seals. He created a supreme officer of the law.

18. Genghis Khan –To oversee the trials of all those charged with wrongdoing –To have the power to issue death sentences.

19. Genghis Khan He created order in his realm. This strengthened it and his ability to expand.

20. Genghis Khan He acted on his mandate as the rightful ruler of the entire world. Attacked the rulers of farmers and herders in northwestern China.

21. Genghis Khan The Mongols benefited from China’s military weakness. The Mongols used divide and conquer tactics.

22. Being kind toward those who sided with them… And terror and bloodshed against those who did not.

23. Genghis Khan They ravaged the countryside. Driving populations in front of them.

24. Genghis Khan They used conscripted labor in attacking cities And in operating their newly acquired Chinese siege engines.

25. Genghis Khan Genghis Khan and his army overran Beijing. Pushed into the heartland of northern China.

26. Genghis Khan Military success helped people believe that Genghis Khan had the Mandate of Heaven. That fighting against him was fighting heaven itself.

27. Genghis Khan The Chinese emperor recognized Mongol authority and agreed to pay tribute.

28. Genghis Khan After six years of fighting,Khan returned to Mongolia. Leaving one of his best generals in charge of Mongol positions.

29. Genghis Khan Returning with Genghis Khan were engineers They had become a permanent part of their army. There were captive musicians. Translators, doctors and scribes.

30. Genghis Khan Camels and wagonloads of goods. Among the goods were silk, including silken rope. Cushions, blankets, robes, rugs. Wall hangings, porcelain, iron kettles.

31. Genghis Khan Armor, perfumes, jewelry, wine, honey.

32. Genghis Khan Medicines, bronze, silver and gold, and much else.

33. Genghis Khan Goods from China would now come in a steady flow.