World Travel and TradeWorld Travel and Trade

Chapter 3 Lesson 1Chapter 3 Lesson 1

Marco Polo Travels to ChinaMarco Polo Travels to China

• Marco Polo was a merchant.• A merchant is someone whobuys and sells goods to earnmoney.• He is famous for traveling from Italy to

China to buy and sell goods.• The journey to China took 3 years

Marco PoloMarco Polo

• Marco Polo stayed in China for 16 years.• He worked for China’s ruler, Kublai Khan.• While in China, he saw many inventions

(paper, printing, and gunpowder).• When he returned to Italy, he told about what

he had seen in a book. • His stories about China and the journey on

the silk road made people in Italy more interested in traveling to Asia.

Marco PoloMarco Polo

• Marco Polo’s book made Europeans want to travel to Asia.

• His stories fascinated people, especially his stories about the Silk Road.

Silk RoadSilk Road• The Silk Road was not one road, but

several trade routes connecting China to Europe.

• Merchants became rich as they traveled to China to buy silk, spices, and other goods.

• Wealthy Europeans were willing to pay high prices for silk.

Chinese Set SailChinese Set Sail

• More than 100 years after MP visited China, the ruler of China sent Admiral Zheng He on a series of voyages.

• The ruler wanted to impress other countries with China’s power.

• He sailed all the way to Africa’s east coast.

• Some of his ships were longer than football fields and had 1000’s of sailors.

Travel StopsTravel Stops

• In 1434, a new ruler

stopped Chinese exploration.

He believed that China did not need to have contact with other countries.

• Zheng He’s amazing voyages were over.

African Trading KingdomsAfrican Trading Kingdoms

• Trade was becoming very important in several kingdoms in Africa just like it had been in China.

• A kingdom is a place ruled by a king or queen.

Trade in AfricaTrade in Africa• Africa had plenty of gold but not enough

salt.

• Salt was used to keep food from spoiling.

• Merchants traveled in large caravans across the dangerous desert to the city of Ghana to trade salt for gold.

• A caravan is a group of people and animals who travel together.

Mansa MusaMansa Musa

• He was Mali’s greatest king.

• He made Timbuktu one of the largest and most important cities in Africa.

• It became a center for learning and art.

Lesson ReviewLesson ReviewTrade connected people in Europe, Asia, and

Africa. Marco Polo, Zheng He, and Mansa Musa spread new ideas as well as goods. Their travels inspired others to explore even farther, seeking new trade routes and new knowledge.

WHY DOES IT MATTER?Trade and travel brought the people of Asia,

Europe, and Africa in contact with each other. Ideas and goods began to flow freely between them.