14th and 15th Explorers of Asia and Africa
Ibn Battuta and Zheng He
,
(work in progress, subject to revision, Summer, 2001- D. Reeks)
American Students often believe the Exploration sponsored by Prince Henry
the Navigator's School of Navigation and Christopher Columbus's 1492 expedition
to the Western Hemisphere were the first to consider expeditions to and from
Africa and India in the 14th and 15th centuries. Students also may not understand
trade routes existed in both the Indian Ocean and on the continent of Africa.
Two explorers, one a "Muslim Traveller" from the Ottoman Empire and
the other, a state sponsored soldier turned sailor from China had already
visited Africa and the India from their own homes by the time Columbus landed
on Hispanola. Chronologically, Ibn Battuta was the first personality
to appear. Zheng He was second.
Who was Ibn Battuta?
Please read the first description of Ibn Battuta
Why, according to the previous source, did Ibn Battuta undertake his journey?
How might Ibn Battuta's religion and the Empire he worked for have influenced
his journeys? Give, in sentence form, at least two religion related
reasons for his journeys.
Ibn Battuta's First trip to North Africa. is described on the
following link.
Ibn Battuta was so restless, he eventually journied to West Africa, home
of a Muslim Empire, the Mali. What Ibn Battuta thought about
the Mali is found in two descriptiions: He found the women to be different
from other
Muslim women.
Zheng He, is also called Cheng Ho
Who was Zheng He? Click on the link below and read a brief description
of Cheng Ho. Why would a writer in Singapore introduce this famous Asian Explorer
to his audience? Why does he say Zheng He was such an important figure
in Asian history?
http://web3.asia1.com.sg/tnp/journey/travel/echina/ecread3.htm
A more complete description of Zheng He's life and voyages may be seen
on the web site below, which utilized britannica as its source.
http://geography.miningco.com/science/geography/library/weekly/aa020201a.htm
Zheng He's fleet was far larger than that of his successor, Columbus, and
his flag ship could have held many of Columbus's Santa Maria
.
To see a brief description and illustration of Zheng He's flag ship,
click now.
??? What kind of sources have been used as internet sources for Cheng Ho/Zheng
He? Primary or Secondary? Why might this be so? Do any
of the sources reflect a bias toward Zheng He?
The map on the previous page is a compilation of many journies and "explorations".
Who would have been the man to utilize these routes, Ibn Battuta, Zheng He,
or both men. Could the journies of Zheng He have geographically overlapped
those of Ibn Battuta? Why