The Mongols: Destroyers and Joiners

History · World History · ages 12-13

Name ______________________ Date ____________

What did the mobility of Mongol horse archers help them do?
- Keep strong city walls between themselves and an attacker
- Choose where to attack and when to withdraw
- Build siege machines for attacking a fortified city
Which pair names regions under Mongol rule?
- England and France
- China and Persia
- Egypt and Spain
The yam helped official messages travel by letting postal riders change to fresh horses at stations.
Circle one: True False
Which task would most directly call for the siege specialists used by Mongol armies?
- Gathering information before an advance
- Choosing when horse archers attack or withdraw
- Building machines to attack a fortified city's walls
A merchant uses a route guarded against robbery. Which benefit comes directly from that protection?
- A lower risk of losing cargo to robbers
- Fresh horses for official messages
- Written records for recording government orders
The Mongol writing system described in the lesson was created without using an existing script.
Circle one: True False
A merchant's route crosses a border that two khanates have closed. Roads are passable and supplies are available. Which cause explains the interruption?
- Road damage blocks travel between stations
- Relay stations lack horses and supplies
- The border closure blocks the planned crossing
A report describes skilled workers moving across Mongol lands as a voluntary exchange of knowledge. Which evidence most directly requires the report to qualify that description?
- Some skilled workers were captured and forced to move.
- Some specialists built siege machines for Mongol armies.
- Officials used writing to keep records for Mongol rulers.

Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

The Mongols: Destroyers and Joiners W1-mt_9dNatkNqRt-s1

Choose where to attack and when to withdraw · Mobility means being able to move. Fast movement helped horse archers choose attack positions and withdraw. City walls and siege machines served different military purposes.
China and Persia · China and Persia were regions under Mongol rule. An army reaching another place during an invasion did not always mean lasting rule there.
True · The yam was a postal relay. Fresh horses at stations helped riders continue carrying official messages.
Building machines to attack a fortified city's walls · Siege specialists built and used machines against walled cities. Gathering information and choosing mounted attacks concern other parts of military planning.
A lower risk of losing cargo to robbers · Guards discouraging robbery could reduce the risk of stolen cargo. Fresh postal horses and written government records describe other features of Mongol administration.
False · The Uyghur script was adapted for writing Mongolian. The writing system drew on an existing script.
The border closure blocks the planned crossing · The stated obstacle is the closed border. Passable roads and available supplies rule out the other explanations. The merchant may need to wait or change routes.
Some skilled workers were captured and forced to move. · Capture and forced movement show that some workers did not choose to relocate. The other facts describe work performed, not whether movement was voluntary.