The Mongol World

The Mongols were nomadic warriors from the Central Asian steppe. Living in large family groups, these warriors were united by the chief Temujin, who would later be called Genghis Khan. In 1215, Genghis Khan began his conquests by seizing Zhongdu (Beijing, China) and a large part of China. By the time of his death in 1227, he ruled Asia from Korea to the Caspian Sea. His successors continued to push the frontiers of the empire as far south as Vietnam and the Persian Gulf and as far west as Hungary and Poland.

Study the list of places and dates below. These represent some of the important battles or conquests of the Mongols. Visit your local library or access the Internet to help you locate each place. Here are two sources that might help you find the information:

• Historical Atlas: Look up "the Mongol Empire" or "Asia from 1200 to 1400."
• The Internet: Use a search engine such as Yahooligans (http://www.Yahooligans.com). Enter "Mongols" or "Genghis Khan" into the Search box.

Mark and label the places on the Northern Asia: Political map. Add battle symbols and write the date the Mongol's fought in each place. Draw in lines and shading to show the Mongols' movements and territories. Create or add to the map legend to show all of the objects on the map.

Zhongdu (Beijing), 1215
Samarkand, 1220
Bukhara, 1220
Kara-Khitai Empire, 1221
Khwarizm Empire, 1221
Chin Empire, 1234
Korea, 1236
Raizan, 1237
Baghdad, 1258
Japan, 1274
Song Empire, 1279
Japan, 1281