Peer Review

The Mongols in World History

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Reviewed:: Feb 10, 2003 by History

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Ratings

Overall Rating:

Content Quality:

Effectiveness:

Ease of Use:

Overview:: Part of Columbia University's World History Online series, this website,
produced by Columbia's East Asia Institute, provides a general introduction to
the rise of the Mongol empire in the 13th century and its impact across Eurasia.
The narrative is richly illustrated with artworks and artifacts from the era in
question. Separate pages provide topical information on the Mongols' nomadic
life, key figures in Mongol history, Mongol conquests, and the impact of Mongol
culture on China, Asia, and the World.
Type of Material:: The site includes separate pages dealing with the nature of pastoral nomadic
life, the Mongol Conquest, the Mongol role in China, and key figures in the
Mongol empire from Ghengis to Kubilai Khan. Although all of these are well
illustrated in themselves, they are augmented by an "image gallery" and map
section keyed to the main pages. Other links direct the user to a short but
well chosen bibliography of recent works on the Mongols, additional online
readings, other related sites, and some class material appropriate for high
school students.
Recommended Uses:: The site provides an excellent supplement to courses on World or Asian history,
particularly those focusing on East Asian or China. Because of the larger issue
it poses about the impact of the Mongols on the modern world, it provides a
useful way of approaching such big historiographical questions as when, where,
and how certain modern trends began. It could thus prove beneficial in getting
students to see the interpretive side of historical study and learning to assess
arguments on their own. The site offers educators the opportunity to narrow or
broaden the scope of the site's content into a course.
Technical Requirements:: Acrobat 5.0 is recommended for some links.
Identify Major Learning Goals:: The overall aim of the website is to counter the stereotypical view of the
Mongols as barbaric conquerors and explore the degree to which they helped
foster a new transcontinental trade system and disseminated regional
technologies and ideas across the breadth of Eurasia initiating a number of
trends that contributed to the start of the "modern" world. The site not only
deals with the nature of the Mongols but their role in the broader perspective
of world history. In this sense, it attempts to place its subject in a global
context and raise broader questions about its signifcance. This is one of the
site's greatest strengths.
Target Student Population:: Although the site is probably aimed at a general college audience, the
illustrated material and class materials would make it equally attractive to
advanced high school students, particularly those in world history classes.
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:: The site requires no prior knowledge of the topic or any special skills to use.
Some wider knowledge of world history might help students better appreciate the
argument about the Mongols impact on the world. However, an understanding of
where the Mongols fit into the scheme of Chinese history would be helpful and a
timeline comparison with the West enhances the site's utilitarian value.

Content Quality

Rating:
Strengths:: This site offers excellent materials that give a good, but highly accessible,
account of current understandings of the Mongols and their achievements. Morris
Rosabi, who served as the chief consultant on this project, is one of today's
most outstanding scholars working in Mongol and Central Asian history. The
content divisions into : Mongols mark on Global History, Mongol Conquests,
Mongols in China, Key Figures in Mongol history, and the Pastoral Nomadic Life
lend themselves to units of classroom study. The bibliogrpahy is good and there
are links for online readings, related web links, and class materials. The
link for related topics is currently blank.
Concerns:: This is a well thought out and nicely done website. But, it does leave out more
traditional accounts from conquered people that portray the Mongols in less than
flattering ways. Such accounts are noted only to dismiss them, and students are
thus not given the chance to judge their validity for themselves. Therefore,
faculty using the site might wish to add some supplementary readings to provide
a better balance of historical interpretation. Some of the maps were currently
unavailable for use particularly those linked to the University of North
Carolina.

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool

Rating:
Strengths:: This site raises questions about the role of the Mongols in a broad context and
helps to demonstrate that historical study involves interpretation and argument
rather than mere memorization of what supposedly happened in the past. It also
shows the growing effort in history to see local events within a larger
world or global framework and not just as isolated phenomena in their own right.
It is particularly important that students realize that Asian nationalities
were just as likely as their European counterparts to expand beyond their
ethnic/national borders and conquer broad stretches of territory. Because Marco
Polo visited China during the Mongol period, the site lends itself for
excellent comparisons between Asia and Europe to include economic, military,
political, social, religious, and intellectual comparisons. The site also
raises the question based on current historical research about whether or not
Marco Polo really did travel to China?
Concerns:: The site is not dogmatic, and although it clearly has an argument to make, it
allows students to assess that argument for themselves and draw their own
conclusions. But, the site fails to offer with counter evidence about Mongol
atrocities.

Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty

Rating:
Strengths:: The site is well laid out and easy to use. All links are active and lead to
completed pages, save one on related links which lists nothing. A couple of
links to maps at the University of North Carolina failed to work. The site
offers four major approaches for study: the Mongol culture and history, the
Mongol impact on China, the Mongol impact on central Asia and the West, and a
comparison of Asia with Europe based on European travels to Asia.
Concerns:: Despite the fact that all of its parts are well labeled and easily found, the
site offers no guidance on the sequence in which to visit them. High school and
younger students might thus need some suggestions about how to proceed through
the site and how far to go in following off-site links so as not to lose a sense
of the bigger question. Educators are encouraged to write their own guide for
instructional use of the material.

Other Issues and Comments:: Overall this is an excellent site with a well focused approach that gives its
topic broad relevance and thus commends it to a wider audience than those just
interested in the Mongols.
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