Mongol Empire

The Mongols are traditionally nomads who are known for cattle raising and horse breeding on their huge grasslands. Their land is a huge territory that became the Mongolian People¡¯s Republic, a part of the former Soviet Union and a large part of western China.

Tribes in Mongol had to fight for room to graze their animals. The Mongols practically lived on horseback as they moved from one pasture to another. Young boys were taught to ride as soon as they could walk. They had to become excellent horse riders and archers so that they could hunt and fight.

By the early 1200s, the Mongols had been united under the leadership of a man whose title was Genghis Khan, or ¡°Emperor of Mankind.¡± It is said that he was born with a blood in his hand which is a sign that he would be a mighty warrior.

Genghis Khan was a brilliant military leader with well-organized armies. He used spies to collect intelligence about his enemies. He would attack them into surrendering without fighting. His armies showed no mercy. They killed millions of people. In China, 90 cities were completely destroyed by soldiers on horseback who could ride through them in the dark without fear of stumbling.

The Mongol conquests were continued by Genghis Khan¡¯s grandson, Kublai Khan. By 1279, all of China had been conquered and united under the leadership of Kublai Khan. It was the first time in Chinese history that a foreign emperor ruled all of China.

However, Kublai Khan was not a barbarian. For the most part, he accepted the Chinese culture and various religions in China. He improved the lives of the Chinese peasants, built roads across his empire and provided a postal system that was similar to the pony express system in the American West.