Aim: Did the Mongols negatively or positively impact the world?

Do Now: After being assigned a side you should review your hw/preparation notes and think about arguing points you could use. If you are assigned as the evaluator, you need to think of questions to ask your group members.

Questions to answer during the debate

How did Mongols (re)shape political life in China? Was it for the better or worse?

How did Mongols impact/change societies that they conquered (their everyday lives, culture, etc) across the world? (hint: Think of China, Russia, Byzantium, Muslims)

How did the Mongols impact the economy of those they conquered? The world economy? Was it for the better or worse?

Pax Mongolia- Positive Effect Tolerant rulers Safe passage for trade

caravans Facilitated trade at

each end of Eurasia later led to the Age of Exploration

Brought great wealth to European traders (northern Italy)

New warfare methods were introduced.

Gunpowder introduced to Europe

Trade Routes• Mid 1200s – Mid 1300s: imposed stability and law through much of

Eurasia

Kublai Kahn’s Impact on China

•Restored economic prosperity

•Improved public works such as canals, bridges and roads

•Encouraged trade•System of storing grain to

avoid famine•Improved the Navy•Cared for orphaned and sick•But…he did separate

classes based on ethnicity

Modern Links- Mysteries

Still today historians are trying to find out if the writings of Marco Polo are true, and they will probably never know.

It is a big mystery where Kublai and his grandfather, Genghis Khan, are buried.

?

Negative Impact

Death and destruction, some cities completely wiped out (Kiev, cities in Syria)

Mongol soldiers looted, pillaged and raped women

Conquests played a key role in transmitting the black death. (unintended)

Why did the Mongol empire collapse?•Size made

communication and control difficult

•Lack of effective leaders▫Kublai’s Death in 1294▫Famine, floods, disease

•Infighting among Mongols for control

•Locals grew tired of foreign rule and began to rebel