Whether the stories were true or not, what cannot be questioned is Marco Polo’s influence on the popular imagination of the day. When Christopher Columbus set off to find China more than a century after Polo’s death, he carried a copy of the book with him. To Columbus, as to many others, Marco Polo was both inspiration and guide. DID YOU KNOW? The travels of Marco Polo were known as Il Milione (‘The Million’ in Italian) and were sometimes referred to as ‘The Million Lies’ because his descriptions of the wonders of the East were considered so unbelievable by some that they were seen as huge exaggerations or outright fabrications.
10.7 SkillBuilder activity CHRONOLOGY 1. Using the sources and information in this lesson, make a list of the journeys and events in the life of Marco Polo. 2. Construct a timeline using your list. 3. Illustrate it using images from the internet or hand drawings if you can.
10.7
Exercise
Learning pathways LEVEL1 1, 3, 5
LEVEL2
LEVEL3 2, 8, 9, 10, 12
4, 6, 7, 11
REMEMBER AND UNDERSTAND 1. Kublai Khan gave the name Qin / Song / Yuan to his new dynasty, which meant ‘creative force’ / ‘bright light’ . 2. Consider the people of China. a. Identify the different groups or classes of people in the population of China at this time. b. Explain whether they were treated equally. c. Explain why the Chinese were treated more harshly than non-Chinese. 3. Explain why China needed rebuilding at this time. A. China had experienced decades of war and conquest waged by the Mongols. B. China wanted to begin an architectural revolution. C. The emperor demanded it. D. China did not need rebuilding. 4. Summarise the main achievements of Kublai Khan in reconstructing and rebuilding Chinese society. 5. Kublai Khan’s winter palace was in Tai-du / Chung-tu / Xanadu / Yanjing . 6. State how long Marco Polo was in China for and explain the circumstances under which The Travels of MarcoPolo were written. ANALYSE AND APPLY 7. Describe how SOURCE1 portrays Kublai Khan. Consider whether the painter was trying to show him in a good light or not. Explain your answer. 8. Examine SOURCE2 . From what you know of Kublai Khan’s achievements in rebuilding China, suggest which of the 12 symbols he would have valued and why. 9. Examine SOURCE3 carefully. a. Explain what comment the artist is making about life in Yuan China. b. Given that Kublai Khan put so much effort into rebuilding China, explain why you think the artist might feel like this.
Jacaranda Humanities Alive 8 Victorian Curriculum Third Edition
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