The Mongol Empire
by: Abbie Childs
Dear Journal,
I am about to embark on a mission to figure out the secret lives of the Mongols living in Asia during the time of the Mongol Empire. I have learned many things about their ways of life over the years I have been studying them. They are very violent and destructive, especially during times of war. A meal for a member of one of the Mongol clans could consist of anything from rat, dog, cow, or horse to intestines, fermented mare's milk, or animal hide. When on the road for long periods of time in the harsh winter months, the Mongol people are known to cut open a vein in a horse's leg and drink the blood to keep warm. Then they would close up the wound and keep moving forward on their journey.
The men living in a Mongol clan were allowed to have multiples wives and this was not that uncommon. If the man of the house passed away it was okay for the son or sons f that man to marry the widow or widows of that man. Little is known of the Mongol slaves but there is evidence that some families did have and use slaves in the Mongol clans. I was told that it is believed that the Mongols were so harsh due to how they lived their lives. They lived their whole lives wondering the countrysides of Asia without a care in the world. They had to deal with the harsh climate and weather of the various seasons, limited food supply, and always having to fight with other Mongol clans to keep their camping grounds. I will write again soon after I have completed my travels to confirm or altar what I have said abut the Mongol clans.
Sincerely,
Marco Polo
Dear Journal,
I have just returned from observing the Mongol clans. I am sad to say that everything I thought was true about them is actually the complete opposite. Instead of being violet, crazy peoples they are actually very clam and peaceful. They love to accept other cultures and religions. Even though they like to conquer lots of land, they almost never kill people in the civilizations they take over. While the Mongols would prefer to have the people in the civilizations they over take to follow what the Mongols believe in, they accept what the civilizations have to offer and allow them to continue their daily lives just with a new "ruler".
The Mongols were also big on self-discipline, loyalty, a woman's social status, obedience, and honesty. They traveled along the old silk road routes,using them as a trading path and a way to travel easier. Trading was a big part of their lives since they were a nomadic community. They encouraged people to travel throughout Asia on these routes and helped other groups of people along the road workout their differences and problems. One example of this is a disagreement over paper money verses coins. The Mongols told me that they figured out early in their reign that force was not always the best way to accomplish tasks and I for one, completely agree. That's all for now!
Sincerely,
Marco Polo
Dear Journal,
How can one story seem so right but then the other one be the complete opposite and still seem like the truth? I feel like the mixed views on the Mongols are mainly because they get violent when they needed to get tasks completed and then they were peaceful when there was nothing to fight over. I can see how people would not consider them peaceful and honest since most of the time, when they let someone enter their territory to just "pass through", it was in hopes of getting something in return.
In a lot of ways the Mongols were a lot like Julius Caesar. Caesar was a ruthless man who would befriend someone one second and then turn his back on them the next. He conquered lots of land and stopped at nothing. He was also a fresh start for Rome like the Mongols were for Asia. There were also many differences between Caesar and the Mongols. One big difference is the Mongols were a nomadic people while Caesar settled in one spot. I think overall the Mongols intentions were good but they did not come across the way they had hoped.
Sincerely,
Abbie Childs
"Internet History Sourcebooks Project." Internet History Sourcebooks Project. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Jan. 2014.
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/mpolo44-46.asp
"World History Connected | Vol. 5 No. 2 | Timothy May: The Mongol Empire in World History." World History Connected | Vol. 5 No. 2 | Timothy May: The Mongol Empire in World History. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Jan. 2014.
http://worldhistoryconnected.press.illinois.edu/5.2/may.html
"The Mongols in World History | Asia Topics in World History." The Mongols in World History | Asia Topics in World History. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Jan. 2014.
http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/mongols/figures/figures.htm
"Genghis Khan." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 14 Jan. 2014.
http://www.history.com/topics/genghis-khan
mrfarshtey.net/classes/The_Mongols.ppt
"The Mongols in World History." Asia Topics in World History. Columbia University, n.d. Web. 16 Jan. 2014.
http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/mongols/main/transcript.pdf
I am about to embark on a mission to figure out the secret lives of the Mongols living in Asia during the time of the Mongol Empire. I have learned many things about their ways of life over the years I have been studying them. They are very violent and destructive, especially during times of war. A meal for a member of one of the Mongol clans could consist of anything from rat, dog, cow, or horse to intestines, fermented mare's milk, or animal hide. When on the road for long periods of time in the harsh winter months, the Mongol people are known to cut open a vein in a horse's leg and drink the blood to keep warm. Then they would close up the wound and keep moving forward on their journey.
The men living in a Mongol clan were allowed to have multiples wives and this was not that uncommon. If the man of the house passed away it was okay for the son or sons f that man to marry the widow or widows of that man. Little is known of the Mongol slaves but there is evidence that some families did have and use slaves in the Mongol clans. I was told that it is believed that the Mongols were so harsh due to how they lived their lives. They lived their whole lives wondering the countrysides of Asia without a care in the world. They had to deal with the harsh climate and weather of the various seasons, limited food supply, and always having to fight with other Mongol clans to keep their camping grounds. I will write again soon after I have completed my travels to confirm or altar what I have said abut the Mongol clans.
Sincerely,
Marco Polo
Dear Journal,
I have just returned from observing the Mongol clans. I am sad to say that everything I thought was true about them is actually the complete opposite. Instead of being violet, crazy peoples they are actually very clam and peaceful. They love to accept other cultures and religions. Even though they like to conquer lots of land, they almost never kill people in the civilizations they take over. While the Mongols would prefer to have the people in the civilizations they over take to follow what the Mongols believe in, they accept what the civilizations have to offer and allow them to continue their daily lives just with a new "ruler".
The Mongols were also big on self-discipline, loyalty, a woman's social status, obedience, and honesty. They traveled along the old silk road routes,using them as a trading path and a way to travel easier. Trading was a big part of their lives since they were a nomadic community. They encouraged people to travel throughout Asia on these routes and helped other groups of people along the road workout their differences and problems. One example of this is a disagreement over paper money verses coins. The Mongols told me that they figured out early in their reign that force was not always the best way to accomplish tasks and I for one, completely agree. That's all for now!
Sincerely,
Marco Polo
Dear Journal,
How can one story seem so right but then the other one be the complete opposite and still seem like the truth? I feel like the mixed views on the Mongols are mainly because they get violent when they needed to get tasks completed and then they were peaceful when there was nothing to fight over. I can see how people would not consider them peaceful and honest since most of the time, when they let someone enter their territory to just "pass through", it was in hopes of getting something in return.
In a lot of ways the Mongols were a lot like Julius Caesar. Caesar was a ruthless man who would befriend someone one second and then turn his back on them the next. He conquered lots of land and stopped at nothing. He was also a fresh start for Rome like the Mongols were for Asia. There were also many differences between Caesar and the Mongols. One big difference is the Mongols were a nomadic people while Caesar settled in one spot. I think overall the Mongols intentions were good but they did not come across the way they had hoped.
Sincerely,
Abbie Childs
Bibliography:
"Internet History Sourcebooks Project." Internet History Sourcebooks Project. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Jan. 2014.
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/mpolo44-46.asp
"World History Connected | Vol. 5 No. 2 | Timothy May: The Mongol Empire in World History." World History Connected | Vol. 5 No. 2 | Timothy May: The Mongol Empire in World History. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Jan. 2014.
http://worldhistoryconnected.press.illinois.edu/5.2/may.html
"The Mongols in World History | Asia Topics in World History." The Mongols in World History | Asia Topics in World History. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Jan. 2014.
http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/mongols/figures/figures.htm
"Genghis Khan." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 14 Jan. 2014.
http://www.history.com/topics/genghis-khan
mrfarshtey.net/classes/The_Mongols.ppt
"The Mongols in World History." Asia Topics in World History. Columbia University, n.d. Web. 16 Jan. 2014.
http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/mongols/main/transcript.pdf
Rugoff, Milton.
"The Mongols." Marco
Polo's Adventures in China. New York: American Heritage Pub.; Book Trade
and Institutional Distribution by Harper & Row, 1964. N. pag. Print.
"Holt McDougal Online." Holt McDougal Online.
N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Jan. 2014.
"H
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