Questions to Address for this Essay. Using the essay instructions included below and the allowed sources, this essay should address all of the following interrelated questions:
What were the main reasons Europeans sought new trade routes to Asia, particularly to China and India?
Give reasons for your answers. In addition, what positive features did Marco Polo describe about Yuan (Mongol) China?
While Europeans were interested in Yuan (Mongol) and Ming China, why on the other hand did China pull back from exploration under the Ming dynasty?
From his letter, where did Columbus believe that his voyage of exploration had arrived?
In what ways did Marco Polo’s account of China appear to influence what Christopher Columbus expected to find during his voyage of exploration?
How did Christopher Columbus describe the New World and the Native peoples he encountered?
How did Columbus’ description of the New World ultimately differ from Marco Polo’s description of China?
