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The Mongols Conquer China

In this lesson, students will be able to define the following terms:

Kublai Khan

Yuan Dynasty

Silk Road

Fall of Yuan Dynasty

Ming Dynasty

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Kublai Khan, a grandson of Chinggis Khan,conquered China.

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Kublai Khan

• In 1279, Kublai Khan, a grandson of Chinggis Khan, conquered China.

• He adopted the Chinese name of “Yuan” for his dynasty.

• Kublai Khan built a new capital city (Beijing).

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Kublai Khan conquered China butadopted many Chinese ways.

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Trade

• Under Kublai Khan, trade between China and the West increased.

• The Mongols took control of the Central Asian trade routes.

• The Mongol rulers protected merchants and travelers along the trade routes.

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The Silk Road was an important tradingroute. During the Yuan dynasty, trade

along the Silk Road increased.

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Mongol Government

• While the Mongols adopted many Chinese ways, they did not allow the Chinese to become high government officials.

• Chinese men could not participate in the government.

• However, the Chinese were allowed to maintain their cultural traditions.

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The Chinese werenot permitted

to becomehigh governmentofficials during

the Yuan dynasty.The Mongols firmly

controlled thegovernment.

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The Mongols built a new capital city.Today, this city is called Beijing. For

many years, Westerners called it Peking.

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The Fall of the Yuan Dynasty

• The Mongol Dynasty fell in 1368.

• The Chinese believed that the Mongols had lost the Mandate of Heaven due to massive famines.

• A Chinese peasant led a rebellion against the Mongols and a new Chinese dynasty was founded.

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The Ming dynasty was founded by aChinese peasant.

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Ethnocentrism and Isolationism

• The Ming emperors were ethnocentric. They felt that other cultures were inferior.

• Gradually, the Ming emperors began to isolate China from other cultures.

• Isolation led to China falling behind other cultures.

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Isolationismprevents culturaldiffusion. New

technologies andinventions are

not shared. Thiscan harm a nation.

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Questions for Reflection:

• Who was Kublai Khan and how did he affect Chinese history?

• How and why did the Mongols adopt many Chinese ways?

• What was the Silk Road and why did trade increase during Mongol rule of China?

• Why did the Yuan dynasty fall and why did the Mings isolate China?