Objective:

NEW VISIONS INTRO: Where was the Mongol empire located? How did geography and historical circumstances lead to the rise of the Mongol empire?

Describe the location of the Mongol empire and how its size changed over time.

Predict how geographic features impacted the expansion of the Mongol empire.

Describe the events in Genghis Khan’s life led to the rise of the Mongol Empire.

➡ Directions: Examine the maps below, then complete the questions that follow.

Think Like a Geographer

An empire extends control over vast territories of land and people. There are a variety of factors that impact an empire’s ability to expand.

1. How did the Steppes of Central Asia help them build an empire?

2. How did the Himalayan Mountains hinder imperial growth?

The Growth of the Mongol Empire: Led by Genghis Khan and his sons and grandsons, the Mongols ruled most of modern-day Russia, China, Korea, southeast Asia, Persia, India, the Middle East and eastern Europe.

See

List three things you see in the maps above.

Think

Based on your observations, what do you think caused the changes in the maps above.

Wonder

Write two questions you have about the maps above.

3. 4. 5.

6. The Mongol Empire was a transcontinental empire, or an empire that stretched across more than one continental. At the height of its power, the Mongol Empire controlled large territory in which two continents?

The Mongol Empire was the largest contiguous (connected land masses) empire in history.

At its height, the Mongol Empire covered 16% of the world land area or 9.27 million square miles of land - more than 16% of the earth's landmass.

➡ Directions: Based on your knowledge of previous empires, predict how the Mongol empire gained control of such large territories across two continents.

7. Make a list below.

Who is Genghis Khan?

➡ Directions: Examine images, text, and videos below. Respond to the questions.

Genghis Khan as portrayed in a 14th-century Chinese album of rulers.

Genghis Khan (c. 1162 – August 18, 1227) was born with the name Temüjin. He was the Great Khan and founder of the Mongol Empire. He rose to power by uniting many of the nomadic tribes of Northeast Asia into the Mongol Empire. After he founded the Empire, he was proclaimed "Genghis Khan" and began a series of military campaigns and invasions that conquered most of Asia and parts of Europe.

Contextualize

Bio. Genghis Khan- Origins of a Warrior, Overview f rom the Genghis Khan Field Museum

(More videos available at: Genghis Khan Field Museum’s Video Gallery)

Watch each the clips on Genghis Khan linked above and take notes on some of the events in his life that led him to become the leader of the largest land empire in history using the See-Think-Wonder chart below.

8. See

List three things you see in the video about Genghis Khan’s life.

9. Think

Based on your observations, how do you think these events led to his establishment of the largest land empire?

10. Wonder

Write two questions you have about Genghis Khan’s life.

Where was the Mongol empire located? How did geography and historical circumstances lead to the rise of the Mongol empire?

Think Like a Geographer

11. Relative location is a description of where a place is in relation to how a place is related to other places. Using the maps above, write one sentence to describe the relative location of the steppes of Central Asia where the Mongols originated using the bank of cardinal directions below. For example, Canada is north of the state of New York.

North South East West

Northeast Southeast Northwest Southwest

Predict 12:

Complete the graphic organizer below.

Geographic Feature 1 Geographic Feature 2

Predicted Impact of Expansion of Mongol Empire

Predicted Impact of Expansion of Mongol Empire

Task 13:

Identify three events in Genghis Khan’s life and explain how these events led him to become the leader of the largest land empire in history.