The%20Renaissance%20The%20Travels%20of%20Marco%20Polo

1
The RenaissanceThe Travels of Marco Polo

• Lesson 12-4
• Horrible Histories Marvelous Marco Polo 25m
• Explorers of the World Marco Polo 25m

1
2

• TN SPI
• 6.6.2 Recognize the impact of individuals on
  world history Marco Polo
• 6.6.1 Identify examples of groups impacting
  world history
• 6.5.13 Identify the impact of advances in
  technology on history (exploration during the
  1400s)
• 6.2.2 Identify major trade routes Silk Road

3
Marco The Storyteller

• He often told of adventures to faraway places
  such as China.
• Marco had traveled to China and the Indies the
  islands off the China coast.
• He told stories about meeting Kublai Khan,
  Chinas ruler, and seeing amazing things white
  bears, black stones that burned, and a place
  where night lasted all winter and day lasted all
  summer.

4
Marco Millions

• People in his hometown of Venice, Italy laughed
  and called him Marco Millions because he told so
  many tales.
• Few Europeans had ever been to Asia, so they
  could not prove Marco was wrong.
• They thought his stories could not be true but
  many were.

5
Marcos Travels

• Marco left his home in Venice, Italy in 1271 with
  his father Niccolo and his uncle Maffeo.
• They were caravan traders who traveled the Silk
  Road and were interested in the riches of the
  east.
• Four years after beginning their journey, the
  Polos reached China.

6
(No Transcript)
7
Trade Routes to the East

• Europeans carried on a busy trade with the people
  of Asia.
• Europeans wanted gold, jewels, silk, perfumes,
  furs, jade, ivory, and especially spices.
  (pepper, cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg)
• They used the spices to make their food taste
  better and to hide the bad taste of spoiled meat.

8
Silk Road

• About 4,000 miles long, the Silk Road was a
  series of trade routes connecting the east to the
  west. (Asia to Europe)
• The trade route was traveled by caravan traders
  and bandits who made travel much more dangerous.
• The Silk Road was physically difficult for
  travel.
• Caravans needed their own defense forces so forts
  and walls were built along the Silk Road for
  protection.

9
(No Transcript)
10
Genghis Khan

• When Genghis Khan unified the region as the
  Mongolian Empire, the Silk Road became an
  important path for communication.
• Travel across the Silk Road was safe for a time
  under Mongol control.
• Cultural diffusion - The movement of customs and
  ideas from one culture to another.

11
Marcos Adventures

• Marcos father introduced his son to Chinas
  ruler, Kublai Khan.
• Kublai Khan asked Marco to explore his kingdom.
• Marco spent twenty-four years working for the
  Khan.
• Marco Polo returned home with his pockets full of
  jewels.

12
Kublai Khan

• Kublai Khan was Chinas Mongol ruler.
• Marco described his palace as having walls
  covered with gold and silver.
• One hall was so big that a meal might be served
  for more than 6,000 men.

13
The Travels of Marco Polo

• Upon returning to Venice, Marco became the
  captain of a Venetian ship.
• Venice and Genoa, two Italian city-states, were
  involved in battle.
• Marco was captured and thrown into prison.
• While there his stories were written down.
• Two hundred years later, The Travels of Marco
  Polo was published.

14
Trade Routes to the East

• For most European traders travel to Asia and back
  was too hard and took too much time.
• In 1453 trade with the Far East was stopped by
  Muslim Turks after they captured the city of
  Constantinople.
• A new trade route to China would have to be found.

15
A New Trade Route?

• Kingdoms in Europe began to explore the
  possibility of a water route to Asia.
• They were not willing to give up the luxury goods
  they had become accustomed to.
• Portugal was the first to search for a faster
  water route to China by sailing around Africa.

16
Reasons for Exploration

• It was long before Spain, England, and Italy
  joined Portugal in the search of new lands.
• Why? Claiming new lands would
• Increase their territory establish colonies
• Increase their wealth trade goods
• Spread their religion- Christianity

17
(No Transcript)