500
Pick one: 1. Why was Tang and Song China the most advanced civilization of its time? 2. How were the Mongols effective conquerors and rulers?
China: inventions (movable type/gunpowder/porcelain/mechanical clock/paper money) plus sailing was better with magnetic compass=foreign trade increases)//new rice for farming, more food produced//Tang had poetry, Song had black ink naturalistic paintings//most others were a turmoil of fighting////Mongols: Genghis had strong military: organized army, strength of strategy, used bad reputation and would slaughter entire populations if people refused to surrender//Once grandsons took over, like Kublai, Eurasia united-Pax Mongolica=encouraged trade, caravans protected, wanted to exchange ideas and inventions with Europeans like Polo//gov't had Mongols and foreigners in highest positions as they had no local loyalties; mistakes made with failed invasions of Japan; used Chinese form of gov't to lend him most success