Chapter 7 Lesson 3- The Mongol Empire Pages 232-237

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Lesson
3
MAIN IDEAS
Government The Mongols built a vast empire
stretching from Europe to China.
Government The Mongols kept some features
of the Chinese form of government but did not let
Chinese officials have important jobs.
Economics The Mongols encouraged and
increased trade and foreign contacts.
TAKING NOTES
Reading Skill:
Explaining Chronological Order and Sequence
Ordering events in the correct chronological order
can help you see how they are related. As you
read about Mongol China, record major events on
a time line like the one shown below.
1200
1300
▲ Mongol Passport The Mongols
issued passports for officials
on government business in
other countries or for important
foreign visitors. The passport
stated that the bearer was
protected by the emperor.
Skillbuilder Handbook, page R15
7.3.3 Analyze the influences of
Confucianism and changes in
Confucian thought during the Song
and Mongol periods.
232 • Chapter 7
7.3.4 Understand the importance of
both overland trade and maritime
expeditions between China and
other civilizations in the Mongol
Ascendancy and the Ming Dynasty.
CST 2 Construct various time lines
of key events, people, and periods
of the historical era they are
studying.
Framework Foreign merchants such
as Marco Polo were given special
privileges and high office.
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TERMS & NAMES
The Mongol
Empire
Genghis Khan
Kublai Khan
Mongol
Ascendancy
Marco Polo
Build on What You Know As you read in Lesson 1, nomads
from the north invaded China when the Han Dynasty fell. In
the 1200s, outsiders once again invaded China. This time, the
invaders were the Mongols.
The Mongol Invasion
ESSENTIAL QUESTION How did the Mongols build a vast empire that
stretched from Europe to China?
The Mongols were fierce nomadic warriors who lived in the vast
plains to the northwest of China. In the 1200s, they invaded and
conquered China.
A Great Leader The Mongols lived in independent family
groups called clans. These clans were joined together into several
tribes, which were independent of each other. But around 1206
a strong leader named Temujin (TEHM•yuh•juhn) united the
Mongol tribes. He fought and defeated all his rivals for leadership
one by one. By doing so he became the khan, or ruler, of all the
Mongols. He took the name Genghis Khan (JEHNG•gihs
KAHN), which means “universal ruler.” Genghis
organized the Mongol warriors into a mighty fighting
force and began a campaign of conquest. He invaded
northern China, then moved west across Central Asia.
Throughout history, nomadic people often had
a military advantage against settled people. Settled
people tried to defend their cities and towns.
Nomads, however, moved quickly, looked for
weak spots, attacked, and moved on. This helped
them succeed at war. By 1221, the Mongols
had conquered all of Central Asia.
▲
Mongol Warrior In this Persian painting from the
15th century, a Mongol warrior prepares to do battle.
Stirrups allowed the warrior to stand and use both
hands to fight.
China Builds an Empire • 233
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The Mongol Empire When Genghis died in 1227, his son, Ogadai
(OH•goh•DAY), took power. Ogadai captured the rest of northern
China. He also extended Mongol rule as far west as Russia and Persia.
The Mongol Empire was divided into four large parts called
khanates. A different descendant of Genghis ruled each part. Kublai
Khan (KOO•bly KAHN), Genghis’s grandson, took power in the
Chinese part of the empire in 1260. At that time, southern China was
still under Song control. Kublai’s forces finally defeated the Song in
1279. The Mongols now controlled all of China and would rule until 1368.
What regions did the Mongol leaders conquer?
Mongol Empire, A.D. 1294
60°N
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80
This map shows the size of the Mongol
Empire at the time of Kublai Khan’s death. He
ruled from the Khanate of the Great Khan.
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What geographical obstacles do the
Silk Roads avoid?
1000 miles
1000 kilometers
60°E
80°E
234 • Chapter 7
n
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( Y a n g tz e R i v e
r
East
China
Sea
20°N
INTERPRETING MAPS
Human-Environment Interaction
Border of Mongol Empire
500
Nanjing
Hangzhou
South
China
Sea
GEOGRAPHY SKILLBUILDER
Great Wall
Yellow
Sea
n g es River
a n c er
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Baghdad
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Mongol Government
ESSENTIAL QUESTION What features of the Chinese form of government
did the Mongols adopt?
Kublai Khan was the first ruler in 300 years to control all of China.
The Mongols were also the first foreign power to rule China. Kublai
ruled China for 15 years and died in 1294.
Learning to Rule The Mongols did not have much experience
with government. The Chinese, on the other hand, had a long history
of organized government. So Kublai kept many aspects of Chinese
rule. He built his capital at Beijing in traditional Chinese style and
declared himself emperor. He also founded a new dynasty—the Yuan
(YOO•ahn) Dynasty. These steps were familiar to the Chinese and
made it easier for Kublai to control China.
Maintaining Control Kublai kept features of the Chinese form
of government, but he made sure that the Chinese politicians didn’t
gain too much power. He did this to keep control of China in Mongol
hands. He ended the civil-service examination system for choosing
officials. Instead, he gave the important government jobs to Mongols
or to trusted foreigners. Chinese officials were given only minor jobs
with little or no power.
Even so, the influence of Confucian thought remained strong
during Mongol rule. Mongol officials adopted Confucian approaches
to government. In addition, Kublai appointed Confucian scholars to
educate the sons of the Mongol nobility.
Despite differences with the Chinese, Kublai Khan was a capable
leader. He worked to rebuild China after years of warfare. He restored
the Grand Canal and extended it 135 miles north to Beijing. And he
built a paved highway that connected Bejing and Hangzhou. These
land and water routes allowed for easy travel between north and
south. He also made changes that helped promote trade and contacts
with the rest of the world.
How did the Mongols maintain control of China?
Opening China to the World
ESSENTIAL QUESTION How did the Mongols encourage trade?
During Kublai Khan’s rule, China became more open to the outside
world. The Mongols developed a thriving sea trade and welcomed
visitors from foreign lands.
China Builds an Empire • 235
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Kublai Khan (1215–1294)
Kublai Khan was the Great Khan, the leader of all
Mongol people. He gained this title in 1260 and named
himself emperor of China around 1279.
Unlike most Mongols, Kublai was interested in
Chinese culture. He lived in high style in lavish Chinese
palaces and supported the work of Chinese artists.
At the same time, Kublai remained loyal to his
Mongol roots. To remind him of home, he planted grass
from the northern plains in his palace garden at Beijing.
He also honored his ancestors in Mongolian style. Every
August he performed a special ritual, scattering horse
milk on the ground and calling out the name of his
grandfather, Genghis Khan.
Trade Routes One way that the Mongols encouraged trade was
by making trade routes safer. In the past, China sometimes closed
overland trade routes because of warfare and banditry. Now,
Vocabulary Strategy
the Mongols controlled all of Central Asia. This period of
Mongol control is known as the Mongol Ascendancy. Mongol
ascendancy: dominance
in position or power.
control made overland travel safe.
Ascendancy comes from
Caravans moved along the Silk Roads, ancient trade routes
the Latin root word
stretching from China to the Black Sea. (See the map on page
scandere, “to climb.” For
example, a sports team
234.) Merchants took silks, porcelain, tea, and other goods to
climbs to first place by
western Asia and Europe. The merchants brought back new
defeating its competitors.
foods, plants, and minerals. The Mongols also encouraged sea
If successful, that team
has ascendancy.
trade. Ships crossed the Indian Ocean and South China Sea
to reach Chinese ports such as Guangzhou (gwahng•joh) and
Fuzhou (foo•joh). There, merchants did a lively trade in goods
from both East and West.
Foreign Contacts Trade brought increased contact with foreign
peoples and cultures. People from Arabia, Persia, and India frequently
visited Mongol China. Even missionaries and diplomats from as far
away as Europe made the long trip. These visitors helped tell the rest
of the world about Chinese civilization.
The most famous European visitor during this period was
Marco Polo. Polo was a young trader from Venice, Italy. He traveled
236 • Chapter 7
Page 6 of 6
the Silk Roads to China with his father and uncle. He arrived around
1275 and stayed for 17 years. Polo became an assistant to Kublai
Khan and traveled throughout China on government missions. He
later published a book about his adventures. Polo’s book was a great
success, but many Europeans found his vivid descriptions of China
hard to believe. (See Primary Source Handbook, page R49.) In the
next lesson you will learn how the Chinese overthrew the Mongols.
How did the Mongols promote Chinese contact with the rest
of the world?
Lesson Summary
• The Mongols built an enormous empire stretching
from China to Europe.
• The Mongols adopted some features of the Chinese
style of government.
• The Mongols increased foreign trade, especially along
the Silk Roads to Western markets.
Why It Matters Now . . .
The contacts between Mongol China and the Arab and Western
worlds spread important ideas and trade goods. Because of this,
many Chinese inventions can be found worldwide today.
3
Lesson
Review
Homework Helper
ClassZone.com
Terms & Names
1. Explain the importance of
Genghis Khan
Mongol Ascendancy
Kublai Khan
Marco Polo
Using Your Notes
Explaining Chronological Order and
Sequence Use your completed time line to answer
the following question:
2. What were the main events of the Mongol
conquest of China? (CST 2)
1200
Activity
1300
Main Ideas
3. How did the Mongols gain power? (7.3.3)
4. How did the Mongols control China’s
government? (7.3.3)
5. What was the Mongol policy toward trade and
foreign contacts? (7.3.4)
Critical Thinking
6. Making Inferences Why do you think Kublai
Khan did not want Chinese to fill important
government jobs? (7.3.3)
7. Forming and Supporting Opinions Was
Mongol rule good or bad for China? Explain your
opinion. (7.3.3)
Internet Activity Use the Internet to research the inventions that Marco Polo brought back from
China. Create a poster showing these inventions. Write captions for the inventions pictured. (7.3.3)
INTERNET KEYWORDS: Marco Polo, inventions
China Builds an Empire • 237