State Expansion Practice Test

In the thirteenth century, Mongol leaders conquered territories from China to Eastern Europe, relying on cavalry mobility, intelligence networks, and demands for tribute. After conquest, they often allowed local religions, employed existing administrators, and promoted trade by protecting routes and merchants. The empire’s rulers also used census-taking and standardized taxation to extract resources. Which practice most clearly illustrates how the Mongols consolidated authority over newly conquered regions?

Between the eleventh and thirteenth centuries, the Song dynasty faced military pressure from steppe and neighboring states, yet it expanded state capacity internally. Officials increased the use of civil service examinations, strengthened central fiscal management, and supported infrastructure such as canals to move grain and taxes. The government also issued paper money and promoted commercial growth, which increased taxable wealth. Which change most directly reflects the Song state’s expansion of bureaucratic governance rather than territorial conquest?