AP World History - Nomadic Societies: Turks & Mongols - Study Guide

Geography

  • Environment of Central Asia: Limited rainfall restricted societies to small-scale farming, hindering large-scale artistry.
  • Khanate of the Great Khan: One of the Mongol Khanates.
  • Ilkhanate of Persia: Conquered by Mongols; Turks and Mongols convert to Islam; Later brought down by Tamerlane.
  • Khanate of Chagatai: Mongol homeland, Central Asia; Mongols utilized the Silk Road.
  • Khanate of the Golden Horde: Territory taken from the Russians by the Mongols.
  • Karakorum: Capital of the Mongol Empire, established by Genghis Khan. Illustrates a shift as the Mongols transitioned from a nomadic society to a settled urban center.
  • Khanbaliq (Beijing): Constructed by the Mongols under Khubilai Khan, grandson of Genghis Khan.
  • Baghdad: Located in present-day Iraq, it was a significant Islamic cultural and trading hub. The Mongols captured Baghdad in 1258.
  • Samarkand: Situated on the Silk Road, Tamerlane developed it similar to Karakorum, serving as a home for the Turks.
  • Manzikert: Taken over by the Turks.

People

  • Mahmud of Ghazni: Spread Islam into India, although his primary intention was conquest and rule. He despised Hinduism and Buddhism, destroying Buddhist temples and establishing the Sultanate of Delhi where he decided to stay.
  • Tughril Beg: A Turk who became a sultan, initiating the Saljuq dynasty.
  • Chinggis Khan (Genghis Khan): Possibly has 16 million descendants today. He united Mongol tribes, created a formidable army, and excelled in diplomacy. He dismantled tribal affiliations, assigning military positions based on merit rather than heritage.
  • Khubilai Khan: Ruled China, grandson of Genghis Khan, and founded the Yuan Dynasty. Known for religious tolerance. His attempts to expand into Southeast Asia failed due to jungles unsuitable for Mongol warfare tactics. Similarly, efforts to conquer Japan were thwarted by samurai and typhoons (the divine winds).
  • Marco Polo: Traveled from Europe to China by boat and served Khubilai Khan as a diplomat and tax collector. His captured and jailed experiences led to a best-selling book, which gained further popularity with the advent of the printing press.
  • Tamerlane: Left a legacy of conquest, uniting the Turks, defeating Ottoman forces, and dismantling the Ilkhanate of Persia.
  • Osman: Dominated areas of Anatolia, marking the beginning of the Ottoman Turks. He attacked the Byzantine Empire and expanded into the Balkans.

Questions

  • What limited the development of Central Asian societies? Limited rainfall restricted societies to small-scale farming, hindering large-scale artistry.
  • How did the Mongols bring about greater integration among Eurasian peoples? Through promoting trade, ensuring safe travel, protecting diplomats and practicing religious tolerance.

Topics

  • The class structure of nomadic societies: Dynamic, with social mobility based on merit. Charismatic and skilled fighters had a higher chance of becoming nobles.
  • CCOT (Continuity and Change Over Time) of Turkish and Mongol religions: Both initially practiced shamanistic religions involving belief in spirits and the role of shamans as intermediaries. Some converted to Islam.
  • The historical significance of the Mongol Empire: It was the largest contiguous land empire in history.
  • Nomads and cross-cultural communication and integration: Facilitated through trade and constant travel/movement.
  • The impact of the Mongols on trade: Mongols significantly influenced and facilitated trade across their vast empire.
  • The fragmentation of the Turks: Resulted from tribal divisions and settlement in various societies.
  • Chinggis Khan’s policies of strengthening the Mongol’s army: Broke up tribal organizations, promoted skill-based organization, ending fighting with other Mongols, not kin.
  • Size of the Mongol army: Approximately 125,000 soldiers.
  • The strengths of the Mongol army: Included their cavalry, advanced training, and deceptive tactics.
  • The weaknesses of the Mongol army: Included challenges in naval warfare, vulnerability to diseases such as the plague, the death of Genghis Khan leading to disunity, and a relatively small population.
  • Chinggis Khan’s policies of governing: Freedom of religion, uniting the tribes, and building a permanent capital city (Karakorum).
  • Relationship between the Chinese and Mongols: Segregation was enforced, prohibiting intermarriage and the adoption of names from the other culture.
  • Reasons for the decline of the Ilkhanate of Persia: Included limited food supplies and significant population decline (200,000 people left).
  • Reasons for the decline of the Khanate of the Great Khan: Internal power struggles, lack of clear succession, military decline, and the impact of the plague on both upper and lower classes.

Vocabulary

  • Saljuq Turks and the territory they captured: Saljuq Turks captured significant territories.
  • CCOT Ghaznavid Turks and the Delhi Sultans: Ghaznavid Turks' evolution and their relation to the Delhi Sultanate.
  • Yurts: Traditional nomadic dwellings.
  • Song Dynasty: Sothern dynasty in China before the Mongols.
  • Yuan Dynasty: Established by Khubilai Khan.
  • Ming Dynasty: Followed the Yuan Dynasty after the Mongols were pushed out of China.