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Jan 1, 1100
Temujin Begins Conquering
He conquered all of his rivals, and united the mongol clans, overthrowing the other khan who tried to take power. -
Jan 1, 1200
Mongols Warring Time
They were considered the most feared warriors of their time for their brutality, war tactics, and fierceness. They traveled in groups of 10,000 with their families and all they needed for living. Many surrendered when they saw them coming. -
Jan 1, 1200
Mongols Emerge From Central Asia
They then created the largest land empire, and conquered China while they were at it. -
Jan 1, 1206
Temujin Recieves Title of Ghengis Khan
He set out to build an empire after this, with the Mongols behind him. He rewarded the Mongols who did as he told, and harshly punished those who didn't. *Ghengis Khan means "Universal Ruler". -
Jan 1, 1207
Ghengis Khan Leads to Conquer Asia
During this conquering, the Mongols learned to use gunpowder, as well as siege warfare. This helped them better defeat their enemies. Siege Warfare: a military blockade of a city or fortress with the intent of conquering by attacking -
Jan 1, 1227
Ghengis Khan Dies
The mongols now controlled most of Northern China and Central Asia. Ghengis Khan told them he wouldn't live long enough to conquer the world, thus they must do it, so they began the huge task. They separated their empire into four regions, called Khanates. -
Jan 1, 1235
Conquest of China Begins
Kublai Khan was determined to completely control China. The Mongols controlled the northern part, but the Song dynasty controlled the southern part. Song Dynasty: a dynasty of China from 960 to 1279; they had good art, literature, and philosophy. -
Jan 1, 1236
Golden Horde Starts Conquering Russia
Made of Mongols, the Golden Horde was a very powerful fighting force who was ruled by Hulengu, Ghengis Khan's grandson. Golden Horde: the Mongol army, led by descendants of Genghis Khan, that overran Asia and parts of eastern Europe -
Jan 1, 1260
Kublai Khan Is Great Khan
While he said he was Great Khan of the Mongol Empire, he was really only ruler over the Khanate of the Great Khan, but they considered him highest in power. -
Jan 1, 1279
Last Song Ruler Defeated
The Song fought fiercly, but in the end, the last Song emperor was defeated. Kublai took control and created the Yaun dynasty, being the first time foreigners controlled all of China. -
Jan 1, 1294
Kublai Khan Dies and Yuan Dynasty Weakens
When Kublai died, many struggles for power happened, and since the new Khans lacked Kublais skill, the Yuan Dynasty died off.
This is after an attack on Japan, where the Japan believed they had been saved by huge storms, "divine winds", which they called kamikazes. Kamikaze: a strong storm which the Japan believed saved them when they were attacked by Kublai Khan, also known as the "Divine Wind"
It is used today to say you're going into a fight where you don't think you'll win, and is suicide. -
Jan 1, 1295
Marco Polo Returns to Venice
Kublai Khan took a liking Marco Polo. He sent Marco Polo on missions, and for sevnteen years he traveledby sea around China.
Marco Polo and his father both returned to Venice. After this though, Marco was captured, and he told his capturers all about his adventures in China, whereupon they wrote it all down in a book. -
Jan 1, 1300
Black Death Wipes Out Much of Europe
Many scholars think this plague also spread from Asia, to Europe as well as the Middle East. Black Death: great epidemic of bubonic plague that killed a large part of the population in Europe -
Jan 1, 1300
Chinese Rebel Against Yuan Dynasty
Once Kublai died, power struggles occured, disastrous floods occurred, and taxes rose, so many rebelled against them. Thus, the Yuan Dynasty fell. -
Jan 1, 1368
Rebels Overthrow Mongols
When this occured, after much rebelling, the Mongols fled, and thus ended the foreign rule in China. This sets India up for a new Dynasty. They formed the Ming dynasty. -
Jan 1, 1398
Hong Wu Dies
When Hongwu dies, a power struggle follows. His son, Yonglo takes over and becomes Emperor. -
Jan 1, 1400
Forbidden City is Built
This was built in Beijing, China's capital for China's Ming emperor, as well as his family and servants. Forbidden City: ilocated n Beijing, China, contains former imperial palaces, any entry was forbidden to anyone except imperial family -
Jan 1, 1402
Yonglo Becomes Emperor
He moved the Ming capital to Beijing, and built the Forbidden City. He remains emperor until 1424. -
Jan 1, 1405
Zheng He Leads Seven Voyages
Yonglo supported sea voyages, and Zheng He led seven of these from 1405-1433. He traveled with as many as three hundred ships, and everywhere he went, he gave gifts from China, recieving tribute from foreign leaders. The huge fleets of 300 ships had junks in them. Junks: trading ships in large fleet of ships, led by Zheng He -
Jan 1, 1433
New Emperor Stops Oversea Voyages
Zheng He's voyages were stopped by the new emperor because he believed they wasted resources which would be put to better use by defending the frontiers. -
Jan 1, 1500
Isolation of Ming China
The Ming rulers restricted trade and travel to limit outside contacts. However, smugglers continued about trading and traveling as they wished. -
Jan 1, 1500
Arrival of European Traders and Christian Missionaries
This was one main reason why Ming's rulers decided to isolate. They didn't want European influence, and decided to preserve the Chinese culture and tradition. -
Jan 1, 1500
New Crops From America Reach China
Ming brought prosperity to China, and with their new irrigation systems, agriculture was even better. Peasants were producing large amounts of rice and such. Then, crops from America reached China, and crop yields skyrocketed. -
Jan 1, 1500
Ming Dynasty Decline
There was a succession of weak rulers, and corruption increased. Then, droughts drained the treasury, and, as a result of low farming crops and high taxes, it began to have rebellions, which broke it down. -
Italian Jesuit Priest Arrives
Matteo Ricci came and learned the Chinese language and culture. He then entered the Ming court, and thus influenced the Chinese with European maths and sciences. The Ming renewed the Great Wall of China so they could keep the mogols out. Great Wall of China: A fortified wall in northern China, extending some 1,500 miles (2,400 km) from Kansu province to the Yellow Sea north of Beijing. -
Famine and Hardship
High taxes and crop failure led to a famine, to which the people rebelled against the Ming Dynasty. -
Qing Dynasty Begins
Manchu took the capital of the Ming Dynasty, and the last Ming Emperor killed himself for fear of capture. Then, Manchu formed the Qing Dynasty. The Qing Dynasty lasted until 1911. Queue: a chinese style in which men wore their hair in the Qing dynasty
Now we use it to mean 'line up', etc. -
Kangxi Begins Rule
He reduced the taxes for peasants, and expanded into Central Asia. He also supported arts and entertained Jesuits at court. He ruled until 1722. -
Cao Zhan Writes "Dream of the Red Chamber"
This was a small part of the Ming and Qing dynasties culture, but it showed the decline of a rich family in China. -
Qianlong Rules China Well
Qianlong brought the Qing Dynasty to its height during his rule, expanding to Taiwan, Mongolia, and Tibet. Their population, agriculture, and economy swelled, benefitting greatly. He ruled until 1796. -
British Official Arrives to Expand Trade
A British official, George Macartney, arrived in China, intending to expand trade, but the Chinese thought he was beneath them, and when he didn't bow to them, he was sent away. They told him to kowtow. Kowtowing: to kneel or bow at the feet of the emperor -
European Trade Efforts Break Qing Dynasty
Because of their isolation, China was behind on advances in Europe, and thus, they toppled, along with all imperial rule.
