I found the chapter on Islam especially interesting. Besides giving me a historical perspective on Islam, this chapter provided some insight that is relevant to our dealings with the Middle East today, especially regarding women. It seems that originally, the Quran was written with the idea that women were equal in some aspects, though like Confuscianism, women were expected to obey and honor their husbands. By the middle of the 8th century, however, women were becoming separated both physically, in separate living quarters and emotionally by veiling. It seems that the minimizing of women has continued. for example, in Saudi Arabia women cannot drive themselves. They have also come under the extreme power of all males in their family, not just husbands. Some of the worst abuses of women took place under the Taliban. Regarding the Mongols and Ghinggis Khan,I found it amazing that he was able to defeat such superior civilizations as China and Persia. His use of dividing clans and tribes into military units and establishing loyalty and discipline seemed to be Ghinggis Kahn's biggest strength. Ghinggis Kahn was also willing to share the same hardships as his men, which also created a sense of loyalty. Part of their method of maintaining power was to slaughter entire populations that seemed to difficult to rule. Such an event took place in Baghdad. I found it interesting, however, that while Mongols in China were eventually driven back to the steppes, Mongols in Persia Were eventually absorbed into Persian and Islamic culture. It seems that the Mongol Empire suffered some of the same causes of it's demise as the Roman Empire. The area ruled by the Mongols was just too vast to keep under control. Also, much of it's society consisted of slaves who eventually resisted and ousted the Mongols.