02a_Ch12: The Mongol Conquests

Timeline: 12
th
- 13
th
Century
FQ: Who are (were) the Mongols?

Main Idea: The Mongols, a nomadic people from the steppe, conquered settled societies across much of Eurasia.
Unfortunately for us, much of their story prior to the 15th C. is dominated by the writings of others (Europeans, Persians,
Abbasid Caliphate, Chinese, etc.). These accounts are predominantly descriptions of the atrocities committed by Mongols
on their victims. The descriptions may be exaggerations, but the evidence is too strong to classify all as such. These
accounts will paint the Mongols as genocidal barbarians. While the hatred of Mongols has abated over time, one should
expend a bit of suspicion on the identication of a disease by an ethnic group (Down Syndrome => Mongoloid).
In the short time we've been together discussing history, brutality perpetrated on one human by another is an all
too common occurrence. The builders of empires have resorted to brutal tactics to achieve their political, social or
economic goals for millennia. The Mongol conquests were not acts that were committed in a 'vacuum'. There were
underlying causes for the expansion of Mongol hegemony beyond the traditional borders of the steppes. Lets ask
ourselves some questions about why these people did what they did and changed the world in the process.

CCSS...

I. The Mongol conquests were not acts that were committed in a "vacuum". There were underlying causes for the
expansion of Mongol hegemony beyond the traditional territorial borders. Among the causes for us to consider include...
A. There were climatic & economic causes for Mongol expansion.
B. Amazingly, a nomadic people achieve a high level of unity.
C. Cultural traits were 'translated' into military tactics.
D. The centuries-old conict between nomadic & sedentary lifestyles came to the fore on a global scale during this
era. (China vs. Mongolia, Agriculture vs. Pastoralism, Sedentary vs. Nomadic)

II. Vocabulary: Refer to Crossword Puzzle

III. Human - Environment Interaction
A. No tomb culture developed. Burials were conducted by leaving the corpse within reach of animals- which will
consume the corpse. (Sky Burial)
B. As Sustenance: Camel regurgitated food, 'beef tartar', drank blood, milk & by-products. [Ask Mr.V for a description]
C. Women nursing orphaned lambs.
D. Seasonal migrations to new pastures.

IV. Commerce and the Survival of Nomadic Peoples

Ponder: Animal herding provides the essential needs of many non-agricultural societies. However, there are other items
societies have come to desire that animal herds cannot provide. Create a list of 'needs' that are met by herding animals.
Contrast this list with another that includes items that are not derived from animals, but have become 'essential' because
of the quality of life improvement it provides. How are the items in this second list acquired?

Provided by Herd (Class completes below).
A.
B.
C.
D.
Acquired via Commerce
A. Agricultural needs (food, feed, cloth, etc...)
B. Need for manufactured goods:
1. Practical: metallic tools, metallic or wooden utensils, wooden or ceramic/ clay container vessels.
2. Aesthetic: Luxuries for personal use (w/ social status implications) or gift giving (w/ cultural implications).
Ponder: What could cause distress in a society such as this?

V. Extraordinary Conditions in the 12
th
13
th
C.
A. Harsh climate/ natural disasters ( 1 1/2 degree drop in avg. climate temp.)
B. Loss of trading partner(s) (China ends trade contact w/ Mongols.)

VI. Mongol Unication and Recourse
While the Sung, Jin, & Xia dynasties (10th-13th C) strive to divide the nomadic tribes by playing one against the other, one
Mongol leader was working hard to unify. This man unied the nomadic peoples of the steppes for the rst time in history.

A. Chinggis Khan (Temujin): Born ~1165 CE. and elected Grand Khan in 1206 AD. Greatest achievement was unifying
nomadic tribes of the steppes north of the Great Wall. He was very skilled in diplomacy and pursued alliances
based on 'blood brotherhood.' Alliances were broken and replaced by new ones when it was in his interest.
B. Raids: These were organized to be of short duration against nearby targets. Conducting raids is an activity found in
other nomadic cultures throughout the world. Among these cultures we would include Native American and
Arabian peoples.
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C. Women play a Commanding Role
1. Duties ranging from household, herding, to politics were open to women, freeing men to serve in the
army.
2. 1241: Grand Khan dies and for 6 years their is turmoil. During this period there were two female rulers.
Women were important to Mongol success and they exercised tremendous leverage in society (right of
divorce, hold property, serve in leadership positions, etc.). One of these women is Sarghahtani Beki
(Mother of two Grand Khans: Mongke and Kublai). She establishes Mongol policy of religious toleration.

VII. Summary: Why it matters now.
The Mongols built the largest unied land empire in world history.

Materials/Sources: Refer to the course calendar for additional assignments and pertinent due dates.

Assorted Readings, Map of Eurasia

World History: Patterns of Interaction

Film: CNN's Millennium Series- The 13th C.: Century of the Stirrup

The Mongol Derby , The Mongol Rally

Listen to the MacWorld Podcast: Extreme Tech in the Middle of Nowhere.

Lecture by Prof. Morris Rossabi, Columbia Univ. 28 Sept. '00 (Stuyvesant H.S.), Author of Khubilai Khan: His Life and Times
An example would be the Apache. The introduction of the horse into Apache culture (via the feral horse population created from escaped Spanish
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livestock) nearly changes the entire lifestyle of these people. Raids become a greater source of material wealth than a traditional nomadic lifestyle.