Mongol Hegemony
Part 1 |
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Table of Contents
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Table of Contents
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Part 2
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"...Historians’ views of the Mongols have undergone dramatic shifts over the past few generations, that is, since the field of world history has emerged. The old view of the Mongols was that the Mongols were rapacious beasts. Mongols raped and pillaged their way across Eurasia, using the tactics of terror. Sophisticated cities were sacked and destroyed, libraries burnt, skulls and dismembered bodies strewn in their wake. Destruction seemed to be the Mongol calling card.
In the new view, Mongol conquests forced civilizations to get to know one another, extending the web and bringing civilizations into closer contact. Mongol conquests created a vast circuit of trade throughout Eurasia, so the Mongols sort of revive the old Silk Road and extend it..."
Key Terms - Part 1
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Key Terms - Part 2
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Guided Viewing Questions
- How have historians begun to reconsider the impact of the Mongols on world history? Why?
- Why have some people suggested that Marco Polo never actually traveled into China?
- How did the Mongols encourage a revival of trade in the post-Classical period?
- How did the Mongols use local traditions to cement their control over conquered territories?
- What factors contributed to Mongol military dominance in the 13th and 14th centuries?
- What were the consequences of Mongol rule?
- What factors contributed to Mongol decline?