1. Bellwork: November 18 th To understand our context today, we will look closely at the Silk Road. 1.What was the Silk Road? 2.What empires did the Silk Road originally connect?

2. The Silk Road View this history channel video about the Silk Road. http://www.history.com/shows/mankind- the-story-of-all-of-us/videos/mankind-the- story-of-all-of-us-the-silk-road

3. The Silk Road and Marco Polo Comp Book page 49 Title: The Silk Road and Marco Polo The Silk Road was a network of trade routes between Europe, the Arabian Peninsula, and China. Many things were traded on these routes besides silk.

4. Marco Polo Read the handout about Marco Polo and make your notes about what is significant about his life and travels. View the video first to help you: http://www.history.com/topics/exploration/ marco-polo/videos/marco-polo

5. These are my statements Marco Polo was from Italy and the son of a successful merchant who traveled with Marco on the Silk Road. He traveled to China and became a trusted servant of the emperor, Kublai Khan. He saw many Chinese discoveries and wrote a book about all he had seen. Although during Marco’s life the book was said to be fiction, years later was proved to be true and inspired other explorers.

6. Marco Polo 5. Marco Polo's written accounts of his travels were the first European record of porcelain, coal, gunpowder, printing, paper money, and silk. Polo wrote "Book of Ser Marco Polo" around 1298

7. Primary Source Below is a quote from Marco Polo’s book. How does he feel about Kublai Khan? 1. “All the emperors of the world and all the kings of Christians and Sacracens combined would not possess such power or be able to accomplish so much as this same Kubilai, the Great Khan.”

8. Primary Source Below is an except from Marco Polo’s book. How does he feel about the Silk Road? 2. “When a man is riding through this Gobi desert by night and for some reason…he gets separated from his companions…he hears spirit voices talking to him…Often these voices lure him away from the path and he never finds it again.”

9. Primary Source Below is an excerpt from Marco Polo’s book. What Chinese invention is he talking about? 3. “You might well say that the Great Khan has mastered the art of alchemy. With these pieces of paper they can buy anything and pay for anything.”

10. Primary Source Below is an excerpt from Marco Polo’s book. How does he feel about his journey? 4. “I believe it was God’s will that we should come back, so that men might know the things that are in the world.”

11. Conclusion questions 5. Which of the following are true? 1.Genghis Kahn was the ruler of the group of nomads called the Mongols. 2.The Mongols forced everyone they conquered to follow their religion and customs. 3.Only the Romans had a larger empire than the Mongols. 4.The Mongols learned from the people that they conquered and often adopted their beliefs. 5.Trade flourished under Mongol rule and many Chinese inventions were traded as far west as Europe; introducing them to Chinese discoveries.

12. Conclusion questions 6. Which of the following is true about Kublai Khan? 1.He was the grandson of Genghis Khan. 2.He eventually overthrew the Roman and Islamic empire. 3.He conquered China and was the ruler of China for many years. 4.He ended the great Mongol empire and gave lands back to the people Genghis Khan conquered. 5.He was the only Mongol leader who was actually not a Mongol.