SOURCE3 Marco Polo recounts his experiences in the court of Kublai Khan, where he witnessed the use of paper money as a major innovation of the Yuan dynasty.
In this city of Kanbalu is the mint of the grand khan, who may truly be said to possess the secret of the alchemists, as he has the art of producing money by the following process. He causes the bark to be stripped from those mulberry-trees the leaves of which are used for feeding silk-worms, and takes from it that thin inner rind which lies between the coarser bark and the wood of the tree. This being steeped [soaked], and afterwards pounded in a mortar, until reduced to a pulp, is made into paper ... but quite black. When ready for use, he has it cut into pieces of money of different sizes, nearly square, but somewhat longer than they are wide ... The coinage of this paper money is authenticated with as much form and ceremony as if it were actually of pure gold or silver; for to each note a number of officers, specially appointed, not only subscribe their names, but affix their signets also; and when this has been regularly done by the whole of them, the principal officer deputed [appointed] by his majesty, having dipped into vermillion [red] the royal seal ... stamps with it the piece of paper, so that the form of the seal tinged with the vermillion remains impressed upon it, by which it receives full authenticity as current money, and the act of counterfeiting it is punished as a capital offence.
SkillBuilder discussion Using historical sources 1. Read SOURCE3 . What process is Marco Polo describing? 2. Work with a partner and make a list of questions about this process to learn more.
10.9 SkillBuilder activity COMMUNICATING As a class, discuss how a flourishing dynasty like the Song was able to be overcome by a supposedly barbaric tribal people like the Mongols. Questions to consider: • Explain why the Mongols were considered barbaric. • Suggest in what ways the Song and the Mongols were different from one another. • Identify how the Song were different from previous dynasties. • Explain what were the advantages and disadvantages of the Song and/or the Mongol armies. • Suggest whether the Mongol victory was inevitable.
10.9
Exercise
Learning pathways LEVEL1 3, 5, 6
LEVEL2 1, 2, 4, 7, 8,
LEVEL3 9, 10, 11, 12
REMEMBER AND UNDERSTAND 1. Explain the term Pax Mongolica . 2. Identify what China learnt from European travellers. 3. Identify what the European world learnt from China because of trade. Select all that apply. A. Printing B. New methods of paper-making C. Painting D. Magnetic compass E. Gunpowder F. Porcelain
Jacaranda Humanities Alive 8 Victorian Curriculum Third Edition
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