Comparing%20and%20Contrasting%20the%20Mongols%20and%20the%20Europeans

1
Comparing and Contrasting the Mongols and the
Europeans

• Mongol overland invasions of the 13th century and
  the early modern maritime explorations of the
  Europeans

2
The Mongols

• Genghis Khan unified Mongol tribes in late 12th
  century
• Devoted himself to military pursuits
• Army was not exceptionally large
• Less than 130,000
• Mastery of military tactics set them apart
• Mounted warriors surrounded enemies and harassed
  them, luring them into pursuit and then ambushing
  them
• New weapons, like compound bow and the fire-lance

3
Mongol Invasions

• China
• Attacked Song in 1260s and defeated remnants of
  Song navy in 1279
• Started new Yuan dynasty
• Mongol aristocrats were reserved high government
  positions and kept themselves apart from Chinese
  peasants
• Fostered prosperity
• Encouraged long-distance trade
• Expanded boundaries
• Entire Eurasian land mass

4
Mongol Invasions

• Vietnam
• Attempted in late 13th century, but driven out
• Guerilla warfare
• Korea
• Seized northern part of country and assimilated
  into Yuan
• Japan
• In 1266, invaded with army of over 30,000
• Bad weather and difficult conditions forced
  retreat
• Again in 1281, with army of nearly 150,000
• Held for 2 months, then destroyed by massive
  typhoon

5
The Europeans

• Reasons
• Potential for economic gain through increased
  world trade
• Desire to spread Christianity
• Improved cartography, navigational methods, and
  ship desires
• Competition between other European countries
• Attracted to the East
• Myths and legends of riches and magic

6
The Europeans

• Fairly accurate maps
• Remarkably seaworthy ships
• Lateen sails
• Square rig
• Enabled them
• To sail against the wind
• Engage in warfare
• Carry substantial amounts of goods
• Used compass and astrolabe
• Knowledge of wind patterns in Atlantic Ocean

7
Portuguese Maritime Empire

• Prince Henry the Navigator (1394 1460)
• Explored coast of Africa
• Brought cargo of black Africans in 1441
• Bartolomeu Dias
• Round of Cape of Good Hope in 1487
• Vasco de Gama
• Calicut, India on May 18, 1498
• Christians and spices
• Admiral Afonso de Albuquerque
• Took over Malacca in 1511
• Success was a matter of guns and seamanship

8
Voyages to New World

• Christopher Columbus (1451 1506)
• Reached Americas in October 1492
• John Cabot
• New England coastline of the Americas
• Pedro Cabral
• Discovered South America in 1500
• Amerigo Vespucci
• Accompanied voyages and described New Worlds
  geography
• Hernan Cortes
• Overthrew mighty Aztecs in central Mexico
• Franciso Pizarro
• Controlled Incas in Peruvian Andes

9
The Dutch

• In 1602, Dutch East India Company established
• Formed Dutch West India Company in 1621
• Settlements established in Brazil, the Caribbean,
  and North America
• Profits never large enough to compensate for
  expenditures

10
The English

• Seized Dutch colony in 1664 and named it New York
• French began to cede some of their American
  possessions to English rival
• Created colonial empire in New World along
  Atlantic seaboard of North America
• Virginia Company
• Massachusetts Bay Company
• However, North American colonies were of little
  significance to English economy

11
Impact of European Expansion

• Ancient social and political structures were
  ripped up and replaced by European institutions,
  religion, language, and culture
• New era of commercial capitalism
• Deepened rivalries and increased tensions among
  European states

12
Compare and Contrast

• Whenever the Mongols tried their luck overseas,
  they failed, very much opposite of the Europeans
• Both the Mongols and the Europeans held
  themselves above the societies they encountered
  and conquered