Was the impact of the Mongols good or bad?

In the video “Wait For It…The Mongols!: Crash Course World History #17,” John Green presented possible reasons why the Mongols were both awesome and not so awesome. The purpose of this discussion is to have each of you consider this question for yourself and then conclude if the impact of the Mongols was ultimately good or bad. Rather than trying to argue that the Mongols were both good and bad, you must each take a position on one side or the other.

To complete the discussion assignment this week, you will need to study both sides of the impact of the Mongols. Begin this by watching the Crash Course video again, which is included below, and read the two sources posted below. The first is an account of the Tartars, or Mongols, by the Italian merchant Marco Polo (he refers Genghis Khan as Chingis-khan) and the second is an account from a modern source reflecting back on the Mongols. The video and these two sources are meant to be only the beginning of learning about the topic. After viewing the video and reading the sources, please research the question yourself online (do not use Wikipedia). Keep track of your sources so that you can cite them in your post.

Once your research is done, compose your discussion post. Present both the positives and negatives relating to the Mongols and their impact. Conclude by stating your position about whether the Mongols were good or bad, supporting that final position with your evidence.

After you have made your initial posting, read the posts of your classmates and post responses to at least two. Remember to cite your additional sources.

Watch the video in the link below and read any documents to help.