Mongol Empire Dbq

There has been a long-standing and prevalent Eurocentric view of history--today’s relatively stronger economic power of the Western countries, such as European countries, the United States, and even Japan, is inevitable due to the innate superiority of European Enlightenment thoughts, Christian religion, and later industrial developments. (Marks 2-3) However plausible, this view of history is absurdly wrong when examined under the light of reality. Back into the 13th century, most of the world is connected with dynamic trade and communication between diverse cultural groups. Among those involved this world system, from the 13th to the 18th century, Asia acted as a vital political, cultural, and economical player and Europe was far from domination …show more content…
Given its military prowess, the Mongol Empire was able to stretch its territory to an extraordinary level--the four corners of the border were marked by Poland, Egypt, Java, and Japan. (Weatherford 214) The empire covered most of Asia and tiny parts of Europe and Africa. Despite the suffering from the warfare, the areas under the Mongol rule “were able to enjoy a unprecedented century of political peace with a commercial, technological, and intellectual explosion unlike any in prior history.” (Weatherford 214) It’s the cohesive political environment under its rule and Mongols’ open and encouraging attitude towards trade and communication that created such an achievement. The capital of the Yuan Empire, Da Du, is a vivid example of Mongols’ welcoming attitude to the foreigners. The city not only had residences for the Middle Eastern, Mongol, and Chinese population, but it “was also host to merchants from as far away as Italy, India, and North Africa.” (Weatherford 198) Marco Polo mentioned in detail that numerous prostitutes, Middle Eastern scholars and doctors, Roman priests, Muslim clerics, Indian mystics, and Jewish rabbis all came to Dadu and enriched the diversity of people and ideas in this empire. (Weatherford …show more content…
It functioned as a strong communication system to facilitate travel, transportation of goods, and transmission of royal order and intelligence. (Morgan 103) It “was based on post stations at stages equivalent to a day’s journey,” described by David Morgan. “[and] the stations held stocks of horses and fodder for the use of travelers with tablets of authority, called paiza.” (104-105) The Yam system was basically a enlargement of the Chinese chan, a postal system that had existed for many centuries. (Morgan 107) It affected the communication system of other civilizations. For instance, the Ottoman Empire’s long-lasting ulak system was probably the descendant of the Yam. (Morgan