What you must do in this unit
- There is very little in the textbook about the Mongols--check the book's index and check throughout chapter 13--and that irritates me. In the meantime, check out the Wikipedia entry on the Mongol Empire.
- Read my remarks on the Mongol impact on Russia.
- Read my notes on the Mongols.
- Watch the short video.
- Read the excerpt from William of Rubruck's Account of the Mongols.
- Study the Questions to Consider and the Key Terms for the unit.
- Post (or respond) with your thoughts/ideas/comments in the discussion forum: What were some of the main features of Mongol political practice and ceremony (5 points)?
What you can do in this unit
- Read the notes on the Mongol Invasion of Hungary in the thirteenth century. These were done by Maria Grof-Tisza, a student in HIS 111.
- Here's a great story map (digital project) on the Silk Road by Kaitlin Beckmann.
Some videos that you can watch for this unit
- Wait For It...The Mongols!: Crash Course World History #17
- Dynasties: The Mongol Empire- Part 1/5
- Mongol Invasion of Europe - Part 1
- Genghis Khan and the Mongol Empire
- For extra credit please suggest to your instructor a relevant video for this unit of the course. Send the title of the video, the URL and a brief explanation of why you find the video interesting and applicable to the material that is being studied in this unit.
Extra Credit Options
- For up to 25 points of extra credit, in a one-page paper (maybe more for an exceptional two-page paper) consider the careers of Julius Caesar, Charlemagne and Genghis Khan.
- For up to 25 points of extra credit, in the pre-gunpowder era, there were perhaps no greater conquerors then Genghis Khan and Alexander the Great. In a one-page paper, compare and contrast the two leader in different categories, including, for example, rise to power, methods of conquest, and legacy.
- For up to 20 points of extra credit, submit the Mongol paragraph.
- For up to 10 points of extra credit, check The Mongols in World History website (or other websites) and write a long paragraph that answers the question, What factors allowed the Mongols to construct such a large empire?
- For up to 10 points of extra credit, read Ibn al-Athir's On The Tatars, written about 1220, and in a short paragraph comment on just how terrible were the Mongols.
- For extra credit, please suggest a relevant website for this unit of the course. Send your instructor the title of the site, the URL and a brief explanation why you find the information interesting and applicable to the material being studied this unit.
Unit Learning Objectives
- Upon successful completion of this unit, you will be able to (1) demonstrate knowledge of the scope and scale of the Mongol empire.