New World Exploration Essay, Research Paper

Over many centuries countless people have traveled unmapped territories for a number of reasons. Some are looking for treasure, some for fame, and some just to map out and claim new lands for their kings and queens. These are just a few reasons among many. Some of the best known explorers are Marco Polo, Christopher Columbus, and Meriwether Lewis, William Clarke (Lewis and Clarke).

Marco Polo (1254 1323?) was born into to a family of merchants from Venice, Italy who did a great deal of traveling to carry out their business of trading. In the year 1269 Marco s Father and Uncle returned from a long trading trip to Venice. They had traveled all the way to Cathay (China). While they were there, the current Emperor of China asked them to return with teachers and Missionaries for the Chinese people. In 1271 they returned, and they took Marco with them.

On the way to Cathay, in Palestine, they picked up 3 monks who were missionaries to China. Soon afterwards they turned back because they feared the dangers of the voyage ahead of them. In 1275 Marco and his fellow travelers arrived to greet the Emperor (Kublai Khan) at his palace.

The Emperor especially liked Marco, so he appointed him the Governor of a busy city called Yangchow (Pop. 250,000+). Marco traveled to many distant lands on business trips, and brought back stories of those countries and the lifestyles of the inhabitants. Some of the lands he traveled to were: Tibet, Indochina, Y nnan and Burma.

Fearing that people of the court would try to destroy them for the wealth they had acquired if Kublai Khan died, the Marcos requested that the Emperor give them permission to return to their homeland, Venice, Italy. The Emperor did not grant this request.

When the Khan from Persia asked to marry the daughter of Kublai Khan, Kublai gave his consent. Hearing of this, the Polos suggested that on her journey to Persia she should be guarded by men of experience and rank. This would also allow the Polos to visit Venice on the way. The Khan agreed to this proposition.

On this journey, they sailed along Indochina and the Malay Peninsula to Sumatra. They visited Ceylon and India, and touched the East African Coast. Accompanying the Polos on this Journey were the princess and 600 Chinese Noblemen. Only 18 of the 600 noblemen lived to reach Persia.

After dropping off the princess and the 18 surviving noblemen, the Polos returned to Venice. They had been gone a total of 24 years.

Marco remained in Venice and became the Captain of a trading ship. His ship was captured by rival traders from the city of Genoa, and Marco was thrown into a Genoese prison. There he wrote a book about his travels to the East. He was released from the prison in 1299. He married and fathered 3 daughters before his death in approximately 1323.

Christopher Columbus (1451-1506), who s Italian given name was Cristoforo, was born in Genoa Italy in the year 1451. His father (Domenico) was a wool weaver. Christopher and his younger brother Bartholomew helped their father in the wool business, because they never went to school.

Although still working mainly for his father at 22, Christopher sailed to North Africa to do some trading. On this voyage, he learned how to sail.

At 25, Christopher was on a merchants ship as a common seamen, headed for Lisbon, Portugal; England; and Flanders. At this time, many Mediterranean nations were at was against each other, and Columbus ship was attacked and sunk. Columbus swam ashore and headed to Lisbon.

After settling in Portugal, Columbus became a cartographer. He mastered Portuguese and Latin so he could read the books on geography. During his studies, Columbus reached the conclusion that if he sailed 3000 miles to the west, he would step ashore at Asia.

He proposed the plan of the Western Sea Route to Asia to the King and Queen, but they rejected the offer two times. Finally a third time, they accepted.

In 1492 Christopher Columbus set out to the west with three ships. The Ni a, the Pinta, and the Santa Mar a.

During the voyage, Columbus kept two records of their travel progress. One was the distance he thought they had traveled, and the other was a phony record to put the crews at ease from being so far from their homeland. In actuality, the phony record was a lot closer to the truth than was the supposed actual distance. These mistakes were not really the fault of Columbus, but due to the times. There were no precise instruments to calculate distance at that time.

Later in the voyage the crew was ready to rebel and turn the ships home, but Columbus managed to calm them down and get them to sail on. Two days later the fished out of the sea some paddles that looked as if they had been carved from tools. The next day they spotted land.

Columbus thought that they had landed at Asia. In actuality, they had landed on the Bahamas. The natives peacefully watched as Columbus and his crew claimed the land for Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand. Wanting to bring back riches to please the King and Queen, they asked the natives where gold could be found. The natives told them where a gold mine could be found. Some of the crew members asked to be left behind. So Columbus chose 30 men to remain behind and colonize.

Columbus took the ships and 6 Natives and headed home. Columbus returned to the New World 3 more times; 1493-1496, 1498-1500, and 1502-1504.

Meriwether Lewis and William Clarke set out to explore America from St. Louis in 1804. Their objective was to find out about as much as possible about the country west of the Mississippi for Thomas Jefferson.

Their trek started on May 14, 1804 as they paddled up the Missouri in a 55-foot keelboat. Their first meeting with the Indians was on July 30 in Council Bluffs in Iowa. On October 26, they met the Mandan Indian tribe. In the tribe was Frenchan Toussaint Charbonneau and his Indian wife, Sacagawea. They hired the Frenchman and his wife as interpreters. On April 16th the party passed the mouth of the Yellowstone, and on the 13th of June, they came to the Great Falls of Missouri. Carrying the canoes the Indians had helped them build to avoid the falls created a month s delay. On July 13th they launched the canoes again above the waterfalls. On the 25th, they came upon a fork in the river, with three rivers breaking off, and they named them: the Madison, the Jefferson, and the Gallatin.

With the Rocky Mountains in view, they debated which river to take to get the farthest way before having to exit to escape rapids. They opted for the largest, the Jefferson. After they left the river for land, they encountered the Shoshone Indian Tribe. The Chief happened to be Sacagawea s brother. He provided the party with guides and horses for the crossing of Bitterroot Range.

After crossing the Range, they proceeded once again by water; the Clearwater River. They were able to see the Pacific Ocean on November 7, 1805. When they reached the shore, they built Fort Clatsop, where they spent the winter.

On March 23, 1806, they started back for St. Louis. They reached St. Louis on September 23, 1806. Lewis and Clarke brought valuable information for mapmakers, and they also brought specimens of wildlife never seen before. Their trek also provided useful information for the US to claim the Oregon country.

New World Exploration has done wonders for us in expanding our territories and civilizations. It has helped us spread out our territory and colonize new areas. If no-one ever took the time to find new worlds, then we wouldn t be here. Who knows what the world would have turned out like. North America would not have been found until much, much later when we had run out of space elsewhere. Without Early Exploration, none of this would be possible.