Download The Mongol and Ming Empires

THE MONGOL AND MING EMPIRES
LEQ: How did the Mongol invasion and the
rise of the Ming dynasty affect China?
WHO WERE THE MONGOLS?
 Nomadic
people of Central Asia.
 Skilled warriors and horseback riders.
 Mongol tribes were united by Genghis
Khan “Universal Ruler.”
 He was a strong and ruthless leader, who
led a fierce army.
His empire spanned from Northern Asia to Eastern Europe.
They adopted the use of cannons to attack walled cities in China.
MONGOL RULE
To conquer territories, the Mongols would
massacre and completely destroy cities.
 Once an area was conquered, the Mongols
ruled with toleration and justice.
 Pax Mongolica was time of peace and order
under Mongol rule.
 Stability led to economic growth. The Silk
Road and trade flourished.

CHINA UNDER MONGOL RULE
Kublai Khan (Genghis Khan’s grandson)
toppled the Song dynasty and established
the Yuan dynasty.
 In the Yuan dynasty only Mongols could…

 serve
in the military
 hold the highest government jobs

Chinese officials were allowed to rule in the
provinces since the empire was too large for
the Mongols to rule alone.
A Mongolian Emperor And His Wife
CHINA UNDER MONGOL RULE
 Arab
architects designed Kublai Khan’s
palace.
 Foreigners were welcomed to his court,
such as, Marco Polo.
 Contact between Europe and Asia
continued.
 Some Chinese products moved to Europe.
Marco Polo wrote of
the splendor and
wealth of China.
The Pope sent
Christian priests
to Beijing.
Porcelain, playing
cards, gunpowder ,
and papermaking
were introduced to
Europe.
FALL OF MONGOL RULE

After Kublai Khan’s death the Yuan dynasty
began to decline.
 Heavy
taxes
 Corruption
 Resentment of foreign rule
 Lack of support from Confucian scholars
A rebel army topple the Mongols and pushed
them beyond the Great Wall.
 The Ming dynasty was established by Zhu
Yuanzhang.

Zhu Yuanzhang
Founder of the Ming Dynasty
MING DYNASTY
 Ming
means “brilliant.”
 Civil service exams were put back in
place to determine government
officials.
 Confucian learning became the most
important kind of education.
 Censors watched over the bureaucracy
to get rid of corruption.
Civil Service
Exam
MING DYNASTY
 Farming
improved with…
 better
methods of fertilizing.
 more land cultivated.
 new crops brought in from the Americas
(esp. corn and sweet potatoes).
 Canal
systems promote trade and
expanded cities.
 Art and literature flourished.
Canal System
Terrace Farming
MING DYNASTY
Chinese fleets were sent out to promote
trade and collect tribute from lesser powers.
 Zheng He was a Chinese admiral and
diplomat.
 Trading centers developed and Chinese
merchants settled all over Asia.
 When Zheng He died, the Ming emperor
banned the expeditions.
 Less than 60 years later, Spain became a
major player in exploration.

Zheng He Expeditions