Marco Polos Influence on Christopher Columbus...

Marco Polos Travels formulated in Europe of the fourteenth and fifteenth century a new perception of the Eastern world, a world just as advanced and sophisticated as that of the West. Yet, another two centuries were needed for a significant change to take place; this was Christopher Columbus voyage. For Christopher Columbus, Marco Polos travelogue was a valuable and solid resource that contained the necessary details of the East. The geographical descriptions in his writing generated a basis for Columbus scientific calculations for his expedition and the explicit depictions of the luxury of Cipangu and Cathay, flawed though they were, created a strong motivation for Columbus. In the 12th of May 1492, Christopher Columbus, accompanied†¦show more content†¦Marcos book remained more for entertainment purposes until the 1450s and 60s when Johann Gutenberg invents the letterpress and catalyzes its spread. At first, many people were skeptical about his book. His writing contained many mentions of legends and myths that seemed to be quite exaggerated. Neither did Marco include any descriptions about the Great Wall. Regardless of these controversies, his book became one of the first books to be massively published through the Gutenbergs letterpress. Travels spreads out through Europe in no time. By the time all of Europe is shocked by his book, Marco approaches his death, leaving the last words: I have only told the half of what I saw! Whether or not Marcos words were reliable was not an issue at this point. In the years following Marcos death, immense changes occurred in the minds of Europeans including the perception of world geography, directly affecting Columbus preparations. The TO map best represents the medieval understanding of the world. (Diagram attached to the back) The circle O, represents the world and the branches of the T, the Don and the Nile. Asia fills the upper semi circle and in the left and right of the upright section of the T, which represents the Mediterranean, lays Africa and Europe. In the center is Jerusalem and at the top is Earthly Paradise of Adam and Eve, believed at the time to be the source of great rivers such as the Tigris and the Euphrates. Images of NoahsShow MoreRelatedChristopher Columbus s Voyage Preparations And His Religious Beliefs1401 Words   |  6 PagesChristopher Columbus lived during the early modern period, more precisely the Renaissance (Boucher). At the time, the pre- modern worldview that once dominated Europe since antiquity (existen ce to 476 C.E) began to vanish due to new intellectual way of thinking, which ultimately mature in the modern way of thinking (Boucher). While Columbus contributed to this momentous shift, there is evidence that one might argue that between Columbus’ voyage preparations and his religious beliefs, the iconic GenoeseRead MoreThe Importance Of Christopher Columbus2256 Words   |  10 PagesThey have changed our world for the better and for the worse, and will always influence how we explore in the future. Without the contributions of past explorers, our world would not be where we are today. One legendary explorer documented in history is Christopher Columbus. He is one of the most well-known explorers because he discovered the New World. A new continent no one knew it even existed. Christopher Columbus was born in 1451 to a poor, hard-working family in Genoa, Italy. Genoa was a busyRead MoreSignificance Of Marco Polo s Voyages1136 Words   |  5 PagesExplain the significance of Marco Polo’s voyages to the â€Å"East† for our understanding of world history. The silk routes, has for many centuries, connected the world through a series of overland and maritime routes reaching from China, India, the Middle East and Europe. One of the most significant narratives of the voyage is told through Marco Polo, who had a significant impact on the relationship between the east and Europe and on world history. Polo’s voyages vastly enhanced European knowledge aboutRead MoreThe Travels Of Marco Polo1158 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"The Travels of Marco Polo† begins with the journey taken by Marco Polo’s father and his uncle, in which they go to present day china and meet Kublai Khan. The Polo’s family were the first Europeans that Khan got to meet. The Polo’s represent the ideals of Europeans and Khan was very interested about their way of life. He wanted to know everything they knew about European politics, religion, and their justice system, â€Å"And then he inquired about the Pope and the Church, and about all th at is doneRead MoreThe World Of The Eastern Hemisphere1497 Words   |  6 PagesBefore the renowned expeditions of Christopher Columbus, or Ferdinand Magellan, the Polo family were the original explorers whose triumphs and success stories inspired future travelers to discover the unknown world of the Eastern hemisphere. During the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, Europe was in need of an intervention, something to bring life to the dull communities throughout the continent. Marco Polo brought exactly this, and contributed so much more with his travels across the world, bringingRead MoreChristopher Columbus, A Explorer, Sailor, And A Coloniser1711 Words   |  7 Pagescommonly known today as, Christopher Columbus, was a navigator, sailor, and a coloniser. Columbus’ influences on discovering a new route to the Indies revolved around many books such as, Livres des merveilles du monde (Book of the Marvels of the world), published by Marco Polo and many other sailors. He was thought to be born on 31st October 1451 in Genoa, Republic of Genoa, but historians have not in fact corroborated this to be true. Filipa Moniz Perestrello was the wife of Columbus and the son of twoRead MoreExplorers And Voyagers Written Presentation972 Words   |  4 Pageshis contemporaries and analysing historiographical trends, is going to prove the Rubruck is far a more reliable source than that of Longjumeau, Carpine and Marco Polo, and should be treated as such. One such account that dealt with the Mongol Empire, was Giovanni da Pian del Carpine’s Ystoria Mongalorum. Ystoria is only second to Marco Polo’s journals, but at times, focused too much on military activity. Carpine is aware of this, but explains that he did not want to interfere with the military, onlyRead More Christopher Columbus Motivations to Sail West for the Indies3756 Words   |  16 PagesChristopher Columbus Motivations to Sail West for the Indies Christopher Columbus lived in an age of Moslem expansion in the east. With the fall of Constantinople in 1453, direct land routes to the Indies were closed to European merchants and traders, thus creating the need to find a sea route to the Indies. Portugal had spent years sailing the coast of Africa to reach the Indies, but Columbus thought he had a better way: sailing west. With the defeat of the Moors in 1492 Queen IsabellaRead MoreDiscovery of America6704 Words   |  27 PagesVoyages of Christopher Columbus From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Discovery of the Americas and Discovery of America redirect here. For other uses, see Discovery of the Americas (disambiguation). Voyages of Christopher Columbus | The Four Voyages of Columbus | Participants | Christopher Columbus and crew | Location | Americas | Date | Between 1492 and 1506 | Result | European exploration of the Americas | In the early modern period, the voyagesRead MoreThe Great Leader Of The Macedonian Empire2306 Words   |  10 Pagesthe world with his empire. In order to fully examine both empires in areas other than biographical. The focus in comparison will be in the following areas: rise to power, enemies, size of forces, terrain, empire duration, prosperity, and long term influences on their region. â€Å"Remember upon the conduct of each depends the fate of all.† —Alexander the Great. Alexander the Great was born on July 20, 356 B.C. He was born in the ancient Greek kingdom of Pella, Macedonia near the Greek peninsula. His parents

Maya Angelou And Langston Hughes - 1193 Words

Love is a feeling of strong or constant affection for a person (Dictionary 1). Love is what is known as the â€Å"universal language†. There are so many ways love can be interpreted. The central message that the comfort humans receive, and the shyness they feel for an individual are compartments of love that may not always be touched on in poetry. Maya Angelou and Langston Hughes are both African American poets that have made tremendously positive names for themselves in the literature department. Their significant signature in the poetic community has been made by their passion and commitment to produce poetry that speaks to the emotions the public faces on a daily basis. Maya Angelou was brought into this world on April 4th, 1928, in St. Louis, Missouri. She grew up in St. Louis and Stamps, Arkansas (Maya Angelou Biography 1). Sadly, Ms. Angelou left the earth on May 28, 2014 (Maya Angelou Biography 1), but still made sure that her works would be adequate enough for the public to enjoy her works past her time. She was not just a poet, as she wrote books, memoirs, taught, produced, acted, made films, and was an activist in the civil rights movement. (19 1). Langston Hughes was born February 1, 1902, in Joplin, Missouri (Langston Hughes 1). Langston was able to make himself known in the public eye during the Harlem Renaissance . This was when there was a cultural, social, and artistic explosion in Harlem between the end of World War I and the middle of the 1930s. (The HarlemShow MoreRelatedMaya Angelou and Langston Hughes, pillars of society1007 Words   |  5 PagesNeither Langston Hughes nor Maya Angelou were just poets in the world of the twentieth century but instead heroes and leaders who showed the world that race wasn t what made you but whom you are instead. Though both grew up during times and events in the world, both have similar ideas while also different. Though both poets were put down by society, neither let what people said get to them. Both instead wrote poems about how what people say doesn t matter. Maya told those people that despite whatRead MoreRacial Prejudice By Langston Hughes, Maya Angelou And Kathryn Stockett2958 Words   |  12 PagesAmericans have still been treated unethically. Writers such as Langston Hughes, Maya Angelou and Kathryn Stockett have used their writing to express the unfairness of racial inequality. Langston Hughes uses his poetry to express his personal struggle relating to racial prejudice which he encountered through his life particularly in the 1920’s when he was a student at Columbia University but was forced to leave due to racial abuse. Similarly, Angelou uses literature to express her feelings about racism andRead MorePoets Write Feelings of Racism in Still I Rise In Harlem by Langston Hughes and Stil I Rise by Maya Angelou642 Words   |  3 Pagesthem into poetry. One of these people is Langston Hughes. Hughes is a very influential man who has written countless amounts of poetry. Another leading poet that has a major impact to further demolish racism is Maya Angelou. She too has written a multitude of poetry over the years, and continues to be a major role model for young, upcoming poets. In Harlem by Langston Hughes it displays to the audience about a dream deferred. In Still I Rise by Maya Angelou there’s a constant repetition of â€Å"stillRead MoreThe Importance of Determination Essay687 Words   |  3 Pagessuccessfully overcome the obstacles that stand in their way. â€Å"Mother to Son† by Langston Hughes and â€Å"Still I Rise† by Maya Angelou are two different works written by two different authors yet they both convey the same message. Together, the two authors stress the significance of pushing harder when faced with conflicts rather than simply giving up. Using figurative language and repetition, Langston Hughes and Maya Angelou effectively emphasize this message in both of their poems. In both poems, bothRead MoreLangston Hughes : Black Poets Impact On African American Literature857 Words   |  4 Pagesmovements in African American literature. Langston Hughes stood as a literary and cultural translation of political resistance and the campaign of the black consciousness leader. (American National University, 2017) Hughes poetry expressed predominantly politics and equality. The poem â€Å" Democracy â€Å" refers to the passivity civil right movement. â€Å" Democracy will not come Today, this year Nor ever Through compromise and fear â€Å" etc. (PoemHunter.com, 2017) Hughes related the struggle of black people toRead MoreMichael Jackson Sang The Famous Line, If You Wan Na Make The World A Better Place1495 Words   |  6 Pagesthat we all have something to bring to the table? Forms of art that even attempt to evoke this message of solidarity include poetry, which in itself is a free medium that poets utilize to express their thoughts and emotions. Langston Hughes, Paul Laurence Dunbar, Maya Angelou, and Naomi Shihab Nye’s cultural experiences helped to form their respective views on empathy for others. Although they were not all born at the same time, their diverse upbringings (whether African-American or Middle-Eastern)Read MoreMaya Angelou s I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings701 Words   |  3 PagesMaya Angelou: â€Å" I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings† In this poem Maya Angelou talks about the civil rights movement. She also express her personal life of what she went through such as being raped at the age of 6 by her mother’s boyfriend and also becoming mute for 5 years. She also states how she got pregnant and had to raise a child at 16. All these events led up to writing this poem from a caged bird that sings point of view. â€Å"Remembrance† In this poem Maya Angelou express how she was being rapedRead MoreAnalysis Of Maya Angelous The Caged Bird1219 Words   |  5 Pageseveryone happy in the long run. In Maya Angelous poem â€Å"The Caged Bird† we can see a few different perspectives on failure and success. Langston Hughes poem â€Å"Mother to Son† gives a relentless speech to her son explaining her difficulties in life. Robert Frost’s poem â€Å"The Road Not Taken† focuses on the decisions in life and where they might lead you. Though everyone makes decisions, what you feel within will make you who you turn out to be. In the Caged Bird by Maya Angelou makes me feel like the birdsRead MoreMaya Angelous Influences Essay1236 Words   |  5 PagesMaya Angelou’s Influence Maya Angelou is terrific performer, singer, filmmaker, and civil-rights activist. She is a phenomenal woman, one thing that she does best is writing. She is still living today, I believe her legend will never die. If one would talk to her, he or she would think she has lead a normal, happy life. Her life is blissful now, it was not always perfect. Maya beard enough emotional stress in a time frame that most people do not experience in a lifetime. Her experiences and theRead MoreI Know Why The Caged Bird Sings And Still I Rise By Maya Angelou1517 Words   |  7 PagesPoems of Color The poems â€Å" I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings† and â€Å"Still I Rise† by Maya Angelou are both poems that speak on the issues of the mistreatment of African Americans, and how these challenges were created simply by the color of one’s skin and overcome. While the poems â€Å"Mother To Son† and â€Å" Dreams† by Langston Hughes refer to the hopes of African Americans for a better standard of living, and the consequences of departing from these dreams of bettering themselves. This comparison of

The American Mission free essay sample

Issue one from the McKenna text presents two divergent political philosophies from Humanities professor Wilfred M. McClay and Historian Howard Zinn regarding the concept of American exceptionalism. McClay and Zinn provide convincing arguments as they support their contrasting viewpoints with key examples from American history on the question, â€Å"Should Americans believe in a unique American mission? † On one hand, McClay offers a belief in the unique American â€Å"mission† as interconnecting with our Founding Fathers through divine providentialism. On the other hand, Zinn rejects this notion asserting that restraint from the mythical belief of American exceptionalism will suppress combative desires. Professor McClay believes that Americans should be in the uniqueness of our mission. He is adamant that there should be a steady interplay between founding ideals and current realities by fostering an interlocking relationship with the Founding Fathers through academics and paternal/governmental influence. He claims that our social cohesiveness depends on the preservation and dissemination of American myths and legends. We will write a custom essay sample on The American Mission or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page For example, the myth of â€Å"Manifest Destiny† justifying American expansion into territory held by Mexico and expansion into Cuba and the Philippines in the 1890s (McKenna Feingold 2011, 3). This helps further rationalize the countries’ advancement of values of universalism, idealism, and zealous crusading by endorse the notion that, â€Å"God is on our side! † asserts McClay (McKenna Feingold 2011). Lastly, McClay does acknowledge that in nurturing mythic reality as a sustaining feature of American democracy and cultural hegemony, we must does not disregard the â€Å"strange moral complexities† of the past because it provides a basis for learning from previous mistakes (McKenna Feingold 2011, 12). Conversely, Historian Zinn describes this sense of American exceptionalism and â€Å"Divine ordination† in conjunction with military power as a dangerous notion (McKenna Feingold 2011, 14). He posits that belief in divine authority causes America to exempt itself from legal and moral standards accepted by other countries. The ethnic cleansing of Pequot tribesmen by Captain John Mason during the 1630s and the military excursions into the Philippines, Cuba, and Hispaniola in the late 1800s/early 1900s are examples Zinn’s description of these associated dangers (McKenna Feingold 2011, 13-15). In The Power and the Glory, Zinn further expounds on Albert Einstein’s argument that, â€Å"Wars will stop when men refuse to fight† by stating American will stop fighting wars when they discard the myth of American exceptionalism (McKenna Feingold 2011, 18). I believe that McClay and Zinn provide a persuasive argument elaborating their notion of the validity of America’s â€Å"unique† mission. However, I am inclined to agree with Professor McClay in his assertion in the mythical nature of American exceptionalism that has promoted social cohesiveness and propelled America as the â€Å"beacon of liberty and democracy† (McKenna Feingold 2011, 14). The existence of present-day America developed after a period of empirical practices that allowed us to incorporate the positive qualities of democracy and make note of the negative aspects of wrongfully enforcing democratic ideals internationally (McKenna Feingold 2011). Since our inception, the â€Å"invisible hand† of â€Å"divine providence† has directed America to propagate freedom and democracy to all peoples of the world (McKenna Feingold 2011, 2-3). The majority of American Presidents adhered to a sense of American providentialism to justify soft or hard approaches in establishing social order and democratic principles in foreign lands making as described by Abraham Lincoln, â€Å"a people set apart† (McKenna Feingold 2011, 3). However, I must add into the equation that the political and social sensitivities involved with intervention and the economic reality facing America necessitates the presence of shrewd application of coercive actions in the name of national interests. I believe that the deep sense of American history, Constitutional reverence, social dynamism, respect for the rule of law, and adherence to democratic principles overshadows America’s imperfections making us the world’s defender of democracy and human rights. I feel that as the world’s leading democracy, America has a duty to protect and maintain peace and security by shaping conditions before crises emerge and to confront threats before they become devastating. America has a rich history of diplomatic and military intervention such as in WWI and WWII against Nazi Germany, prevention of the spread of communism by the Soviet Union, diplomatically intervening in the Pakistan/India conflicts especially in response to the Mumbai attacks, and in defense of ethnic Muslim Bosnians. The aforementioned are a short list of American exceptionalism and our capacity to uphold democratic ideals and restore social and regional stability. ?