Marco Polo A research Report Marco Polo was born in 1253 in Venice, Italy. His father and uncle were merchants who traveled far into Asia when Marco was still young. Marco was 15 when they returned. His dad's stories were so wonderful that Marco decided to go with them to Asia when he was 17. The trip to Asia took four years. Marco used paper maps that showed water currents and the way the wind blew. The voyage was almost impossible because he had to hike across miles and miles of hot deserts and get ships to sail back to Venice. Marco stayed in Asia for 24 years. For the majority of the time Marco was governor of Yang Chow, at the time a blooming city. Eventually, Marco came back to Venice and told some of his stories. Our group thinks Marco is an explorer because he was very brave and he explored new lands. Marco started his journey in Venice and then Sailed to Damascus. From their, he walked across Asia's deserts and traded with Kubli Khan. Kubli Khan gave Marco a boat and he traveled southward, past Canton. Marco then sailed around the tip of India, past Calicut and through the canal between Arabia and Asia. Marco walked to Constantinople. After long journey, he sailed back to Venice with his goods. When Marco first came back to Venice, he was wearing tattered rags of traveling clothes but, he tore his clothes apart and a fortune of ivory, jade, jewels, porcelain, silk and other treasures fell out. After a few years in Venice, Marco became the captain of a ship and fought a naval battle against Genoa for rights to the Mediterranean trade routes. Marco was taken prisoner and, when he was in jail, he told his story to cell mate and later, Marco's family published it. He was released from prison 1299. | |
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