In the span of a year, from 1212 to 1213, the Mongols razed approximately ninety cities in a massive conquest across northern China. At the end of their expansion, the Mongol empire stretched from Korea to modern-day Poland and from Vietnam to Siberia. The empire covered an impressive 22% of the Earth's surface, or nearly thirteen million miles of land. It may come as a surprise to learn that before their expansion across Eurasia, the Mongols were individual tribes, neither numerous nor particularly innovative. These nomadic tribes were generally related through the male line, consisting of uncles, brothers, nephews, and their families. Due to excessive travel, a Mongol only had as many goods as he could carry and they lived in what were called yurts. Yurts were lightweight tents made of wood and wool, constructed so that they could be dismantled easily and quickly. Also due to their nomadic lifestyle, the Mongols' diet consisted primarily of animal products, such as mutton or game meat, cheese, and fermented milk, although they might occasionally supplement their meals with grains or vegetables acquired through trade. Because resources could be scarce, conflict was part of a Mongol's daily life. Each camp had to be alert to impending attacks and was ready to retaliate against rivals. To prepare for this, children were taught to ride at a young age, starting with goats and progressing to ponies as they grew up. Boys were also taught how to wield battle axes, small compound bows, and spears. As adolescents, the young men participated in hunting and battles and were trained to ride horses for several days with...... middle of paper ...... their native Mongolia, and suffered similar losses of power in Central Asia and in Persia. Their loss of power may also have been due, in part, to Europe's increased contact with the East. Europeans, who were not as technologically advanced as those in the East, were interested in Chinese inventions, especially compasses, gunpowder, and printing methods brought from the East by merchants. This led to European exploration, which may have impacted Mongol rule. In conclusion, the Mongol conquest throughout Eurasia brought together many formally nomadic tribes and increased communication between east and west. The Mongol Empire was the largest neighboring land empire in the history of the world; creating a cultural melting pot, they helped fuse cultural and political ideals that would help shape civilizations in the coming centuries.