Why The Mongols Be Civilized

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Every argument has two sides. One of the greatest examples of this is the Mongols, the largest empire to have ever been created. During its greatest height in the 13th century, the Mongols are thought to be one of the most barbaric empires to have ever existed. Yet, they show great signs of being civilized. To better understand what the Mongols should be classified as, there needs to be a platform on what is barbaric and what is civilized. To be barbaric is to have no sense of mercy and to have a society that is not fully developed. To be civilized, on the other hand, is to be fully developed, unified, and to act in a well-mannered fashion. Taking all of this into account, it can be determined that the Mongols are barbaric. Although the Mongols can seem civilized through the building of their public works, keeping them unified, they were in truth barbaric because of their harsh laws and ruthless military tactics. This brutal lifestyle made the people living under the Mongolian empire fearful, preventing the full development of the society. The Mongols could be described as civilized due to the exceptional public works built under their rule, keeping them unified. The Mongolian Empire was enormous, spreading from Korea to Poland and Vietnam to Syria. In fact, Genghis Khan conquered about 4,860,000 square miles, more land than any other ruler had ever controlled (document 1). A vast civilization is hard to keep united. However, the Mongols were able to do this through their public works. In Khan-balik, today known as Beijing, countless roads were built, connecting several provinces (document 8). Mongolian leaders also built canals (document 6). In addition, Marco Polo reported that when he visited the city of Kinsay, 12,000 stone ... ... middle of paper ... ...not well mannered and not fully developed. As a result, it is correct to view the Mongols as barbarians. The Mongols ruthless military tactics is another reason why they are considered to be barbaric. Even though the Mongolian Empire did have some form of being civilized through their public works, the fact that they had harsh, strict laws and gruesome military tactics make them truly barbaric. It may seem as though the Mongolian Empire was advanced when looking at their public works, but since their citizens lived in fear, the Mongols did not develop to their fullest extent. In addition, their ruthless military tactics and severe laws suggest that they had no sense of mercy for others. As a result, the Mongols deserve to be referred to as barbaric. Still, it is important to recognize both sides of the story so that the Mongols are given the credit they deserve.

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