Humanities Ch5

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5 – MONGOL
EXPANSION
(C.1206- 1368)
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5.1 – Overview
LI: To explore the birth, evolution, decline, and

lasting impact of the Mongolian Empire
LETS WATCH!
https://content2.learnon.com.au/player?
isbn=9781394227549&assetid=7810
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5.2 – How do we know about the Mongol expansion?
LI: To be able to
explain that what we
know about the past
depends largely on
the sources we find,
who created them,
and why.
For many people, the age of Mongols was a time of war and
destruction at the hands of the Mongol army. For others, it was
a time of relative peace when ideas and religions could be
expressed freely and cultural barriers were lowered between
Europe and Asia.
This connectivity and peace allowed for the trade of many

ideas and the documentation of what was happening around
the world during this period
STATE HISTORY:
To ensure they are remembered by the generations to come,

governments often commission official histories to be created.
Just a few decades after his death, the Mongol leadership

commissioned an anonymous writer to document the life of Genghis
Khan, leader of the Mongol army, as well as that of his son, in The
Secret History of the Mongols.
Intended to be read by only the Mongolian ruling class, the book was
based upon the oral stories passed down within the empire and
celebrated Khan’s heroic deeds. Written in a flowing style, it included
lessons for keeping the empire strong
THE WRITINGS OF EXPLORERS:
China was known as the ‘middle kingdom’ in Europe

during the Middle Ages, and legends of its wealth and
mystery filled the popular imagination.
Following the publication of The Travels of Marco Polo,

interest in the region increased. Sources such as
SOURCE 3 give information about both the Mongols
and what other societies thought of the Mongols.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzxT57DHMXU
EVERYDAY OBJECTS:
To better understand the lives of the Mongol people, it is

important to look at the everyday objects they left behind
Much can be learned by looking at seemingly simple things

such as the tools they used, the jewellery they treasured, the
houses they lived in and the food they ate.
AN ARTISTIC VIEW:
Artwork gives great insight not only into the feelings of the artist but also into the audience for which the
artwork was created.
During the reign of the Mongols, Chinese artists worked for their Mongol rulers, producing calligraphy and
paintings that depicted everyday life, landscapes and famous battles (see SOURCE 4).
There were also many artworks created centuries after the fall of the Mongol Empire. Some of these, such
as the painting shown in SOURCE 5, depict the power of the Mongol army.
SOURCE 5
SOURCE 4
Activities
Complete the following:
Choose one of the artworks or written accounts from this lesson…
- undertake additional research to find out about its context (when and where it
was created), and the author (who they were, and why they might have
created this source).
- Find another source, not shown in this lesson, which depicts either a similar
or different perspective on the same issue or event, and ask the same
questions about context and author.
- offer a judgment of which source is more reliable and why.
5.2 QUESTIONS:
1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, & 11
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5.3- What was China like
before Mongol conquest?
LI: To be able to explain the way that life changed
for the Imperial Chinese once the Mongols invaded.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPzWBNIFWXo
THE SONG DYNASTY
In the twelfth century, over 100 million people lived under the rule
of the Song.
The Song Empire covered 4 million square kilometres of rich
agricultural land and bustling cities.
In 960 CE the first Song emperor, Taizu, established his control of
central China when he led the army in a rebellion against the
government. Once in power, Taizu turned away from using military
force to rule the people.
The emperors of the Song dynasty built their authority through a
strong civilian government:
•civil servants were selected by a series of examinations and interviews
•an imperial academy and university-trained government officials
•governors and magistrates were appointed to run government at a local level
•senior government officials were made responsible for drawing the emperor’s attention
to public opinion and problems
•taxation of trade and industry raised the revenue to finance important government
works such as irrigation programs
•prices were regulated through government control of big industries such as salt, tea and
wine
LIFE IN THE SONG CITIES:
Peace in Song-dynasty China led to a massive growth in

population because farming techniques improved,
irrigation systems were rebuilt and trade grew.
As a result, Song city streets were bustling places,

crowded with the congestion of horses, mules,
carts, rickshaw boys and porters carrying goods
dangling from poles balanced across their shoulders.
People stopped to shop at the booths and stalls marked

by tall posts and banners advertising their wares
Song cities were built in the shape of a square and had thick defensive walls.
People entered the city through guarded gates and walked down straight
streets that criss-crossed from north to south and east to west.
Houses were grouped into wards, enclosed by another protective wall that
was locked every night. In cities teeming with people, the government was
responsible for community health and hygiene.
Garbage was regularly removed from the streets and transported on barges to
dumps in the countryside. Every day the ‘pouring men’ came to cart away the
city’s human waste, which was dried and used as fertiliser for the local
vegetable gardens.
- identify as many aspects of daily life in the Song dynasty as you can
HOME AND THE CHINESE FAMILY:
The Chinese way of life centred on agriculture. Every member of the Chinese
peasant family was needed to work on farming tasks such as draining and
ploughing fields, fertilising crops and irrigating
Loyalty to the family was more important than loyalty to the government. The
father was the head of the family and made all the decisions. Wives and children
were expected to obey.
During the Song dynasty, China had many small villages where between 200 and
400 people lived in family cottages made from mud bricks. Chinese families also
lived on boats, called sampans, along the busy waterways of the large river
systems. Within the harbours of the port cities, thousands of boat people lived in
floating villages. The strong Chinese family network provided security in a land
where natural disasters like insect plagues, floods and droughts frequently
destroyed harvests and homes.
SONG INVENTIONS AND IDEAS:
Many inventions and ideas have their roots in ancient China. From the fourth century CE, the
western world was greatly influenced by Chinese developments such as:
•the loom for weaving silk
•the compass for establishing directions and distances
•the breast strap harness and the foot stirrup for horse riding
•the stern post rudder for steering ships
•the wheelbarrow
•the blast furnace for obtaining metals
•the mechanical clock to keep time and track the movements of the sun, moon and stars.
The Chinese discovered that a combination of coal, saltpetre and sulfur would make gunpowder
300 years before the western world learned this knowledge from them. The Song dynasty leaders
recognised the military usefulness of gunpowder and used it to set off fires and create frightening
clouds of smoke. Song China defended itself against the Mongol army by hurling gunpowder
grenades from catapults and shooting flaming arrows from thick bamboo tubes.
Spreading the word:
Printing began in China 700 years

before it was shared with Europe. In 750
CE, sheets of paper were stamped with
inked blocks of wood into which
Chinese characters had been carved. It
was a quick and easy process known as
‘block printing’. By the ninth century, the
blocks had become much larger and
each could print a whole page.
The dynasty crumbles…
The Song dynasty, for all its achievements, was not a strong military power. Two
powerful tribes to the north, the Khitan and Jurchen, constantly launched raids
into their territory. In 1004 CE, the Song dynasty agreed to give an
annual tribute of silver and silk to the Khitan in exchange for peace, however this
ultimately failed.
By 1120 CE, the Song wished to be rid of the Khitan and supported the Jurchen
in a war between the two tribes. The Jurchen won the conflict, but then turned
their attention to the Song and moved to invade, taking control in 1126.
The surviving members of the Song dynasty fled south and established a new
capital at the town of Linán, now known as the city of Hangzhou. This southern
Song settlement was protected by the dense forests of the lower Yangtze River
valleys. Linán was located in the wealthiest agricultural land in China
5.3 – QUESTIONS
1-6
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5.4 – WHO WERE THE MONGOLS?

Learning intention: To be able to discuss what life was like for
Mongolian people before the rule of the great khans
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Lets watch! 
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUVvTqvjUaM
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Humanities Ch5

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z

LI: To explore the birth, evolution, decline, and

This connectivity and peace allowed for the trade of many

To ensure they are remembered by the generations to come,

Just a few decades after his death, the Mongol leadership

China was known as the ‘middle kingdom’ in Europe

Following the publication of The Travels of Marco Polo,

To better understand the lives of the Mongol people, it is

Much can be learned by looking at seemingly simple things

Complete the following:

Choose one of the artworks or written accounts from this lesson…

•civil servants were selected by a series of examinations and interviews

•an imperial academy and university-trained government officials

•governors and magistrates were appointed to run government at a local level

Peace in Song-dynasty China led to a massive growth in

As a result, Song city streets were bustling places,

People stopped to shop at the booths and stalls marked

Printing began in China 700 years

5.4 – WHO WERE THE MONGOLS?

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