Mongolian Empire Primary Source Analysis

Students will read 7 excerpts from primary sources on interactions between the Mongols and other nations/people as well as its inner workings. Each excerpt has a corresponding image and 4-6 questions to be answered (total of 35 questions). They will then analyze 7 other images by responding to 5 prompts. The excerpts range from 1221--1372 and are from Marco Polo (3), Hongwu, William of Rubruck, Guyuk Khan, and Ibn al-Athir. The answers are included where appropriate and this would be great for a sub! Because of the way the excerpts are divided, you can use this as a stations activity or you can give students the whole packet. 

Sample questions include:
--Which aspect(s) of Mongolian life allowed them to accomplish that in “the briefest space of time?”
--Do you think al-Athir agrees with Mongolian religious practices, why or why not? 
--On what grounds would the Mongols grant the peace sought by the Pope?
--Rewrite the last two sentences in your own words to demonstrate understanding.
--Explain how this image connects to the excerpt. Which point of view is it from and how do you know?
--How might the practices related to death reflect Mongolian life?
--Summarize the purpose of the divided reed process. 
--Did Genghis Khan’s military efforts reflect the superstition of the reeds?
--Write a newspaper headline that summarizes the second paragraph. 
--Do the second and third paragraphs detail a positive or a negative of Mongol rule, and why?
--Citing evidence from the text, was Hongwu successful?

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