AP World History AMSCO Guided Notes
2.2: The Mongol Empire and the Modern World
AP World History Guided Notes
AMSCO 2.2 - The Mongol Empire and the Modern World
Essential Questions
- How did Eurasian empires grow over time, and how did their expansion influence trade and communication?
I. The Mongols and Their Surroundings
1. What was the geographic origin and lifestyle of the Mongols in the 12th century?
2. What values and skills did Mongol culture emphasize, and what motivated their expansion?
II. Genghis Khan
A. The Beginning of Conquest
1. How did Temujin rise to power and what name did he take as khan?
2. What territories did Genghis Khan conquer between 1210 and 1227, and what tactics did he use?
B. Genghis Khan at War
1. What military advantages and innovations made Mongol armies effective in conquest?
2. How did Genghis Khan treat conquered populations, and what groups did he incorporate into his empire?
3. What communication and logistical systems did Genghis Khan develop to manage his expanding empire?
C. Genghis Khan at Peace
1. What was the Pax Mongolica and how did Genghis Khan's governance differ from his military campaigns?
2. What policies did Genghis Khan implement to unify and govern his empire?
3. How did Mongol rule affect the Silk Roads and interregional trade?
III. Mongolian Empire Expands
A. Batu and the Golden Horde
1. What territories did Batu and the Golden Horde conquer, and how did Western Europe respond to their expansion?
2. Why did Batu withdraw from Western Europe, and what was the long-term outcome of Mongol rule in Russia?
3. What lasting impacts did Mongol rule have on Russian political development and culture?
B. Hulegu and the Islamic Heartlands
1. What did Hulegu accomplish in the Abbasid territories, and what stopped his westward expansion?
2. How did the Il-khanate govern its territories, and what religious changes occurred under Mongol rule?
C. Kublai Khan and the Yuan Dynasty
1. How long did it take Kublai Khan to conquer China, and what approach did he take to governing the Yuan Dynasty?
2. What policies did Kublai Khan implement to gain support from diverse populations in China?
3. How did Mongol women's roles differ from women in other societies of the time?
D. Mongols Lose Power
1. What actions by Mongol leaders alienated the Chinese scholar-gentry class and undermined their rule?
2. What military failures and internal movements led to the fall of the Yuan Dynasty?
3. What happened to Mongol power in other regions as their rule in China declined?
IV. The Long-Term Impact of the Mongolian Invasions
1. What was the scale of Mongol conquest compared to other empires in history?
2. How did the Pax Mongolica facilitate trade and cultural exchange across Eurasia and Africa?
3. What negative consequence of Mongol expansion had major demographic impacts on multiple continents?
4. How did Mongol governance practices influence political development in the territories they conquered?
5. What military and technological changes resulted from Mongol conquests in Europe?
Key Terms
Mongols
khan
kuriltai
Genghis Khan
khanate
Pax Mongolica
Batu
Golden Horde
Moscow
Hulegu
Il-khanate
Kublai Khan
Yuan Dynasty
Zhu Yuanzhang
Ming Dynasty
Gobi Desert
siege weapons
cannon
Uyghur alphabet
White Lotus Society
bubonic plague