Focus: Marco Polo and His Journey to China

The life and adventures of this remarkable man as well as the historical impact of his controversial book, The Travels of Marco Polo, are examined through eight intriguing primary source documents. This rich and focused survey includes panels from the fourteenth-century Catalan Atlas, reproduced in full color; a Mongol passport; reproductions of paintings depicting scenes from Polo's journey; pages from early printed editions of Polo's book, including one with notations by Christopher Columbus; and Polo's last will. Support Materials: * Illustrated Broadsheet Essay * Timeline * Critical Thinking Questions with Response Key * Recommended Reading List 8 Primary Source Documents: * French Miniature Depicting Polo's Departure from Venice, 1400 * Mongol Passport, Yuan Dynasty (1260-1368) * Chinese Handscroll of the City of Kinsai, Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) * Fourteenth-Century Persian Illustration of a Mongol Siege Catapult * Title Page from the First Printed Edition of The Travels of Marco Polo, 1477 * The Catalan Atlas, 1375, and The Story of the Catalan Atlas * Marco Polo's Last Will, 1323 * Page from the Latin Edition of The Travels of Marco Polo, 1485, with Notations by Christopher Columbus