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History Projec 12
-Lailai, Jacob
Kublai Khan, the grandson of Genghis Khan. He assumed the title Great Khan in 1260. He is the first foreigner that ever ruled the whole China. As China's new emperor, Kublai Khan founded a new dynasty called Yuan Dynasty. He built his new capital in Beijing.
After Kublai Khan conquered China, he wanted to extend his rule to Japan. In 1274 and again in 1281, the Great Khan sent huge fleets against Japan twice. However, the typhoon swept across the Sea of Japan. Mongol ships were damaged and the soldier died. Afterward, the Japanese called the wind "Kamikaze", or "divine wind", that saved Japan.
Mongols kept them and Chinese separate identity. Mongols lived apart from the Chinese and obeyed different laws. They did not trust Chinese, and kept the Chinese out of high government. However, they retained as many Chinese officials as possible to serve on the local level, since the Mongol were nomadic people and they do not know how to run a government. Thus, they gave Chinese political position, but only low position. Most of the highest government posts went to Mongols or to foreigners, since foreigners were not loyal to China so they were more trustworthy. Chinese were angry about that and later, they rebelled.
Foreinger in High Political Position
Kublai Khan restored the Grand Canal and extended it 135 miles to Beijing. Along its banks he built a paved highway from Hangzhou to Beijing. These land and water routes ensure the north a steady supply of grain and other goods from the south. The foreign trade also increased under Kublai Khan. This is because the caravan routes across Central Asia safe for trade and travel. The trader trade porcelain, gunpowder, the compass, paper currency, printing and playing cards over the silk road or other road. Kublai Khan collected the tax for the import and export and used the money to support his army. Kublai further encouraged trade by inviting foreign merchants to visit China, Marco Polo is one of them.
Caravan Routs
The most famous European to visit China in these years was a young Venetian trader, Marco Polo. He traveled by caravan on the silk road. When he went back to Venice's city, he is captured and imprisoned. He told his story to others. A fellow prisoner gathered Polo's stories into a book.
Decline Kublai attempts to conquer Southeast Asia, since there had more warm climate, which was good for farming. Thus, if they can conquer it, they can have more food and increase the population. However, his armies and navies suffered many defeats at a huge expense of lives and equipment. At the end, he failed and he lost his army. Heavy spending on fruitless wars, on public works, and on the luxuries of the Yuan court burdened the treasury and the overhigh tax irrigated Chinese. These unsolved problem buried a seed of the decline of Yuan.
After Kublai Khan died, the Yuan Dynasty began to fade. The Chinese had long resented their Mongol rulers and the rebellions were also fueled by years of famine, flood and disease, along with the growing economic problem and official corruption. In 1368, Chinese rebel finally overthrew the Mongols.
