01 The Mongol and Ming Empires for MIddle School

01 The Mongol and Ming Empires.pptx

1. The Mongol and ming empires

2. Throughout its history, China has had to protect its borders from invaders. In the 1200s, invading Mongols conquered China and many other lands. What Were the Mongol Conquests? The Mongols lived on the large, dry grass-covered plain northwest of China. They were nomads, people who moved from place to place. One Mongol ruler known as Genghis Khan was able to unite the Mongols under his rule in 1206. Under his leadership, Mongols conquered most of northern China. His forces then turned west and swept across Central Asia. After Genghis Khan’s death, the Mongols continued to expand under new leaders.

3. The Yuan Dynasty The Mongols’ rise to power continued under Genghis Khan’s grandson, Kublai Khan. After he completed the conquest of southern China, Song rule in China came to an end. Kublai declared himself the ruler of a new dynasty, the Yuan. Life in Yuan China The Mongols supported trade and commerce. They continued the sea trade that began during the Song dynasty. The Mongols also reopened the Silk Road, which had been closed during the Song dynasty. The Silk Road across Central Asia opened China to foreign visitors. The most famous European visitor to China was Marco Polo. He remained in China for 17 years. After his return to Europe, Polo told stories of what he saw.

4. The Ming Restore Chinese Power The Mongols’ grip on power weakened after the death of Kublai Khan. A new Chinese dynasty called the Ming took control in 1368. The Ming dynasty ruled China for 300 years. The first Ming emperor took the name Hongwu, which means “vast military.” Hongwu worked to undo many of the Mongol trade policies. Under Hongwu, China returned to strong, centralized rule. After Hongwu’s death, his son Yongle (young luh ) became emperor. He moved the capital from Nanjing to Beijing. He did this to return the capital to China’s northern heartland and to strengthen the country’s northern defenses against future Mongol invasions. The new capital was designed to impress visitors. Beijing’s design was meant to reinforce the idea of China as the Middle Kingdom, or center of the world.

5. What Was the Ming Foreign Policy? To demonstrate China’s power, the Ming sponsored a series of sea expeditions. These voyages, however, were expensive. They did not earn enough in trade or tribute to repay their costs. In addition, scholar-officials believed that China had everything it needed. China turned inward and reduced contact with lands outside its borders. The Ming declined as its rulers became corrupt and foreign invaders threatened China’s borders.