Marco Polo
By: Tiffanny Huynh
Background
He was the son of Nichole Polo, who was a wealthy merchant. Marco was an Italian voyager and a merchant just like his father. Most of Marco's childhood was spent parentless because his mother died when he was young and his father and his uncle, Maffeo Polo, who was also a wealthy merchant, were in Asia for most of Marco's childhood. When Marco grew older he was employed as a special envoy by Kublai Khan to explore the world. Later on he was married and raised three daughters.
Achievements/Discoveries
Marco Polo is the first European writer since classical times to mention the monsoon, he mastered four languages which were Spanish, Italian, English, and French. He wrote a booked called "The Travels of Marco Polo" that provided inspirations for other explorers, became the most popular read in Europe. He found out that at narrowest point of the desert was entirely full mountains, valleys, and sands, and that it would takes months to cross over it. When the Marco Polo crossed into China with his father, Niccolo Polo, and uncle, Maffeo Polo, he noted that there were gardens and farms that grew grapes and cotton.
Impact on the world
Age 17
Statue in Bangkok
Hormuz
MARCO POLO'S ROUTE
Citation
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/polo_marco.shtml
http://www.saudiaramcoworld.com/issue/200504/the.explorer.marco.polo.htm
http://www.lordsandladies.org/marco-polo.htm
http://www.visioninconsciousness.org/Visioninvendis_Main/Marco%20Polo%20Travels%20-%2004.jpg
Videos-
http://www.biography.com/people/marco-polo-9443861
http://www.biography.com/people/marco-polo-9443861/videos/marco-polo-full-episode-2073408403
Map-
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/explorers/page/p/polo.shtml