In chapter 11, Strayer explains the Mongol empire and why they were so important. The mongols didn't create elaborate cities but left an indelible mark on the historical development of the Afro-Eurasian Empire. Societies usually lived in small and scattered encampments of related kinfolk rather than in villages. The people organized themselves into clans, and lived solely on animals and manufactured goods. The Turkic language and culture spread rapidly all over Asia, and the Turks converted to Islam. They brought Islam and Turkic culture to Anatolia, and then created the Ottoman Empire. The Mongol Empire was enormous and destructive of the process and the networks of exchange and communication numbering 700,000 people. They left a cultural imprint, but didn't leave a new language, religion, or civilization. Their religion was centered around rituals invoking ancestors. The Mongols conquered, defeated, subordinate and exploited people. The Black Death reached Egypt in 1350, and the Middle East lost 1/3 of its population by the 15th century. China, Islam, and Europe also suffered a dramatic decline in population. Labor shortages provoked sharp conflict between scarce workers. Series of peasant revolts in the 14th century. Labor shortages also fostered greater interest on technological innovation. The Black Death also diminished trade networks.

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