The Mongol Empire: the largest land empire, and trade across it

Grade 7 Social Studies Worksheet - Building Confidence

Circle the best answer.

1. Read this first

   Use this

   Telling the story of 1206 (cards A to C; summaries in our words). Card A, The Secret History of the Mongols: written in Mongolian in the 1200s by an author nobody knows, for the Mongol ruling family. It tells how Temüjin rose to be named Chinggis Khan at a great gathering. Scholars debate the year it was finished (proposals include 1228 and 1240) and how reliable its stories are. Card B, Juvayni's History of the World-Conqueror: written in Persian by Ata-Malik Juvayni, a Persian born in 1226 who served the Mongol rulers and later governed Baghdad. He began it about 1252 and stopped in 1260, leaving it unfinished. It tells of Chinggis Khan and of the conquests of his heirs. Card C, a historian's summary for students (Columbia University): in 1206 an assembly gave Temüjin the title Chinggis Khan, and loyalty moved from each tribe to one khan. In 1209 the united Mongols began conquering their neighbors, starting with the Tanguts. In 1204 a Mongol script was made from the Uyghur script. Herding families, who moved several times a year with their animals, depended on trade with farming peoples for many goods, before and after 1206.

2. 1.

   Who wrote card A, and for whom, Ari asks?

   • An unknown author writing in Mongolian for the Mongol ruling family
   • A Persian official, who wrote it in Persian for readers in Baghdad
   • Chinggis Khan himself, who wrote it to teach his sons to read
   • A historian of today, who wrote it from museum records for students
3. 2.

   A student says, "Card A proves exactly how Temüjin lived as a boy." How strong is that claim, Esme asks?

   • Strong: a book made for the ruling family would know exactly how its leader lived
   • Weak: a book from the ruling family cannot tell us anything true about the khan or his time
   • Weak: card A is a ruling-family book, and scholars debate how reliable its stories are
   • Strong: the author is unknown, so there was no reason to shape the story for the family
4. 3.

   Cards A and C both tell about the rise of Chinggis Khan. What do they agree on, Jun asks?

   • Both say the tribes split apart once Temüjin had been named khan
   • Both say the Mongol script was made from the Uyghur script in 1204
   • Both give the same year, 1206, for the gathering that named him khan
   • Both say Temüjin was named Chinggis Khan at a gathering
5. 4.

   Juvayni was born in 1226 and began writing about 1252. How many years after the 1206 gathering did he begin, and how old was he, Kira asks?

   • 46 years after; he was 26
   • 26 years after; he was 46
   • 46 years after; he was 36
   • 54 years after; he was 34
6. 5.

   Which pair of events shows one thing making the next possible, according to card C, Luz asks?

   • Juvayni's book of the 1250s made the tribes decide to unite in 1206
   • The Uyghur script of 1204 forced the tribes to unite, which explains each later conquest
   • Tribes united under one khan in 1206, so the united Mongols could begin conquering in 1209
   • Conquering the Tanguts in 1209 caused the tribes to unite under one khan in 1206
7. 6.

   Card C says the Mongol script was "made from the Uyghur script." What does that mean, Milo asks?

   • The script was brought to the Mongols by Persian officials such as Juvayni
   • The Uyghurs borrowed the Mongol script and used it for their own laws
   • The Mongols stopped speaking Mongolian and wrote everything in Uyghur
   • Mongol writing started from the Uyghur alphabet and was adapted for Mongolian
8. 7.

   Juvayni was a Persian who served the Mongol rulers. How might that shape his history, Noah asks?

   • He wrote in Persian, so his book tells just about the land of Persia
   • He worked for the Mongols, so nothing in his book can be trusted
   • He was an enemy of the Mongols, so he reported just bad things about them
   • He wrote from inside the ruling circle, which may shape what he stresses
9. 8.

   A student says, "Card B tells us about Mongol rule in the 1260s and 1270s." Which reply is best, Ren asks?

   • Supported: Persian histories of that time were usually longer than Mongol ones
   • Not supported: Juvayni stopped writing in 1260 and left the book unfinished
   • Supported: the title History of the World-Conqueror promises the whole empire
   • Not supported: a Persian official could not write about Mongol rule
10. 9.

    Which pair names one change and one continuity across 1206, based on card C, Tala asks?

    • Change: loyalty moved to one khan. Continuity: herding families still relied on trade with farmers.
    • Change: the Mongol script began in 1206. Continuity: herding families still relied on trade.
    • Change: families stopped herding. Continuity: loyalty stayed with each tribe.
    • Change: herding families began trading with farmers. Continuity: loyalty to one khan.
11. 10.

    Card C is a summary for students today. How does its purpose differ from card A's, Zee asks?

    • It tries to win Persian readers over to Mongol rule, as card B was made to do
    • It explains the period to learners; card A was made for the ruling family
    • It has no purpose, because modern writers are not shaped by their readers
    • It praises the Mongol khans for its readers, just as card A was made to do