Aim: Was the legacy of the Mongols positive or negative?

Do Now: What do you know about the Mongols?

I Geography and the MongolsA) The Mongols were nomadic warriors. They lived in the steppes

(flat grassland) and Gobi desert north of China.B) Orkhon is the longest river in MongoliaC) Dairy is the staple of their diet; yak or horse milk is made into butter, yogurt, and cheese.

Geography and the Mongols Continued…

Europeans called Mongols the Golden Horde due to gold color of Mongol yurts (tents) in the sun. They could be transported on wheels!

Geography and the Mongols Continued…C) The Mongols were skilled horseback riders; they could ride up to 100 miles per day!D) Their weapons included crossbows and the catapult. During the Black Death, the Mongols catapulted the bodies of plague victims towards their enemies.

Mongol armor was made from silk. Silk would absorb sweat & was much lighter to wear than European armor. If a Mongol fell off his horse, he could get

back up!

Mongols trained eagles to hunt.

II Genghis Khan (1162 - 1257) A) In 1206 CE Temujin, age 42, became known as Genghis Khan “Universal Ruler”. By brutal force, he had united the fragmented nomadic tribes of Mongolia.

- He was benevolent towards those who submitted, but used terror and bloodshed towards those who did not.

B) Genghis Khan created a body of law.1. Banned the kidnapping of women2. Stealing animals became a capital offense3. Regulated winter hunting to ensure food for all

DNA studies have revealed that Genghis Khan has 16 million living descendants today! – National Geographic, 2010

Genghis Khan Continued…C) Genghis’s grandson Batu (1207 – 1255) invaded Russia, and parts of Eastern Europe. His army left Eastern Europe quickly, but remained in Russia for 200 years. *Recall that the Mongols destroyed so much of Russia’s infrastructure, that Russia was cut off from Western Europe for centuries!

Batu

Genghis Khan Continued…E) Kublai Khan (1215 - 1294), another grandson of Genghis, conquered the southern Song Dynasty of China. Because Kublai admired Chinese culture, rather than destroying it, he created his own Chinese dynasty;

the Yuan!

III The Yuan Dynasty (1271 – 1368)A) The Mongols ruled from their capital Dadu (now Beijing)

B) The Mongols encouraged trade by keeping the Silk Road safe, expanding the Grand Canal, and welcoming foreign diplomats and merchants. This period of economic growth and stability was known as the Pax Mongolia.*The most famous visitor to the Khan’s Court under the Yuan Dynasty was Marco Polo.

C) The Mongol rulers discriminated against the native Chinese; only Mongols or foreigners could serve in the government.

Yuan Dynasty Porcelain VaseA Yuan Dynasty Hand Scroll

The Yuan Dynasty Continued…Marco Polo on the Gobi Desert: "This desert is reported to be so long that it would

take a year to go from end to end; and at the narrowest point it takes a month to cross it... There is nothing at all to eat."

Marco Polo on Kublai Khan’s Court: “Great indeed were the… merry-making with which the Great Khan and all his Court welcomed the arrival of these emissaries [ambassadors]. And they were well served and attended to in all their needs. They stayed at Court and had a place of honor..."

IV Death Toll of the MongolsApproximately 40 million people died due to the

Mongol invasions.

Summary: Fill in the chartThe Mongol legacy was positive because:

The Mongol legacy was negative because:

Key VocabularyGobi DesertGolden HordeBatu KhanGenghis KhanKublai KhanMarco PoloMongolsPax MongoliaSilk RoadSteppe

TemujinYuan DynastyYurt