Question

Use the passage below to answer parts A, B, and C of the question that follows.

"BUT in the thirteenth century, while this strange and finally ineffectual struggle to unify Christendom under the rule of the Pope was going on in Europe, far more momentous events were afoot upon the larger stage of Asia. A Turkish people from the country to the north of China rose suddenly to prominence in the world’s affairs, and achieved such a series of conquests as has no parallel in history. These were the Mongols. At the opening of the thirteenth century they were a horde of nomadic horsemen, living very much as their predecessors, the Huns, had done, subsisting chiefly upon meat and mare’s milk and living in tents of skin. They had shaken themselves free from Chinese dominion, and brought a number of other Turkish tribes into a military confederacy. Their central camp was at Karakorum in Mongolia.”

H. G. Wells, A Short History of the World, 1922

A) Identify ONE aspect of the status of empires in the region that might have influenced Wells’s conclusion that the Mongols' conquests were without parallel.

B) Identify ONE example of the creation of a new imperial state to support Wells’s claim that "far more momentous events were afoot upon the larger stage of Asia.”

C) Explain ONE piece of evidence about the Mongol khanates that supports Wells’s description.

Answer 1

a.) The status of the empires was very unstable and had a low status because they were struggling to unify Christendom under the Pope. The Mongols on the other hand conquered a lot of land in a short amount of time. This might have influenced Well’s conclusion that the Mongols’ conquests were without parallel.

b.) One example of the creation of a new imperial state was that the Mongols rose suddenly and very quickly dominated other countries. The Mongols had conquests that took land very quickly and they were big events. In conclusion, this shows that Well’s claim is well supported by the Mongols.

c.) One piece of evidence of the Mongol khanates that supports Well’s description is the Golden Horde Khanate. While the Mongols were invading Russia, Russia decided to just help the Mongols based on the Mongols past and what they did to other countries. This supports Well’s description by bringing a number of Turkish tribes into a military confederacy.

Answer 2

A. The empires at this time had a fairly low status as they were unable to unify under Christendom and the Pope. Even with all the land the European nations owned the Mongols captured a greater area in far less time. This could have influenced Well's decision on saying it was without parallel.

C. The Golden Horde Mongol khanate is a good way to support Wells' description. The Mongols had invaded Russia and they bowed down and decided to help them. The Russians had seen what they were doing to other countries and decided they would gain more from just assisting the Mongols instead of trying to fight them off.

I apologize for not having an answer to part B, I couldn't figure that out myself.