What do you notice about the size and location of the Mongol Empire? Which modern countries were part of it?

After the death of Genghis Khan, the Mongol Empire was divided into 4 major khanates each ruled by a son or grandson of Genghis 

  • The Mongol destruction of Kiev increased the importance of Moscow in Russia 

  • The khanate in Persia helped control the Silk Road

  • The Mongols were the first non-Muslims to rule over the Islamic Empire

The Mongols were not the first non-Muslims to rule over the Islamic Empire.

a) True    b) False

The Mongol destruction of Kiev increased the importance of Moscow in Russia.

a) True    b) False

  • The most significant khanate was the Mongol rule over China 

  • In 1279, Genghis’ grandson Kublai Khan became the first foreign leader to rule China 

  • Kublai Khan began a new era in China called the Yuan Dynasty 

  • He moved the Mongolian capital to China

  • he excluded the Chinese from serving in high gov’t offices & relied on foreigners to serve in his government

  • Under Kublai, foreign trade with China increased due to the Pax Mongolica 

He built roads & extended the Grand Canal to help improve transportation in China

What new era did Kublai Khan begin in China?

A. Tang Dynasty

B. Song Dynasty

C. Yuan Dynasty

D. Ming Dynasty

Where did Kublai Khan move the Mongolian capital?

A. Mongolia

B. Persia

C. Russia

D. China

  • In 1275, a European merchant named Marco Polo visited Kublai Khan’s court 

  • Kublai was so impressed with Marco Polo that he employed him in the Yuan gov’t for 17 years

  • When Marco Polo returned to Italy in 1792, his stories of China increased European demand for Asian trade

In 1275, a European merchant named ________________ visited Kublai Khan’s court. (Genghis Khan, Kublai, Christopher Columbus, Marco Polo)

Kublai was so impressed with Marco Polo that he employed him in the __________ government for 17 years. (Ming, Song, Yuan, Tang)

  • By the time of Kublai’s death in 1294, the entire Mongol Empire was growing weak

  • In 1330, the Mongols lost control of Persia

  • In 1370, the Mongols lost control of Central Asia

  • In 1368, the Chinese overthrew the Mongols & started the Ming Dynasty  

  •  In 1480, under Ivan III Russia gained independence from Mongol rule & started the Romanov Dynasty 

In 1368, the Chinese overthrew the Mongols & established the Ming Dynasty