From the early 1400s to the early 1500s, Europe underwent a drastic shift from ancient culture and affairs, into modernity, and adopted more progressive beliefs. This time widely became known as the “Renaissance.” An increasing interest with ancient Greek and Roman culture became key aspects during this time. Coincidentally, this occurred right around the time when scholars began to focus in on knowledge and education. These progressive viewpoints opened the gateway for influence from foreign countries. At this time, many non-European countries saw this as an opportunity to ally with the powerful European countries, so China seized its opportunity. In 1434 Zheng He set out with a fleet of men and began his tour through Europe. He presented …show more content…
The Chinese had hundreds of more years of study in certain practices, such as canals, printing, and astronomy, than Europe did, which allowed for faster travel and trade, as well as the ability to spread news faster and accurately tell time. The Chinese had perfected their canals since 500 BC when the Grand Canal, the world’s longest man-made waterway measuring in at 1,795km, was built. By the time of the European Renaissance the Chinese already had 1900 years of practice. When the Chinese engineers began to build the Grand Canal they ran into a couple of issues. Firstly, since the canal crossed across so many rivers, the water levels varied drastically depending on the season. Secondly, ships needed to travel uphill when they approached Beijing, but at the time boats could only travel uphill with the use of double slipways, which not only required excessive work, but also did not work at steep inclines. Luckily, the Chinese found a solution before Zheng He’s fleet departed for Europe. In 984 AD Ch’iao Wei-Yo invented the pound lock so that double slipways were no longer a necessity. These locks allowed water levels to differ by four to five feet at each lock without any problems whatsoever, lifting the restrictions that many engineers had previously faced and were essential to irrigating rice fields and controlling the water levels in canals. These pound locks were depicted in the Nung Shu, the Chinese Agricultural treaty published in 1313, which Zheng He coincidentally brought on his trip to Europe in 1421. The Nung Shu benefitted the European economy because when Zheng He arrived in Venice in 1434, he noticed that the topography and climate of Lombardy were nearly identical to that of Eastern China.
When comparing the Chinese and Western historical development, the similar key events would have very different outcomes due to their different backgrounds. During the fifteenth century, Zheng He was commissioned to lead the “treasure ships” for seven voyages down the Western Seas. And, Prince Henry sent expeditions to explore the western coast of Africa. China and Portugal, the both ends of the Eurasian continent, almost simultaneously began marine navigations. They have shared some similar features, but there are actually major differences between the two. This paper will compare and contrast these two remarkable explorers. The focus will be on the ideas and circumstances that influenced their actions, and their importance in shaping history.
The Renaissance Period is widely known for the abundance of amazing portraiture that circulated around Europe. During the Renaissance, Albrecht Dürer, a German artist painted a self-portrait in 1500 that had qualities that differed from the usual style of artist in that time (Chauhan). Jean Clouet also painted a portrait for the King of France and became the official court painter. Both artists had a talent for portraiture, while their styles were quite different. King Francis I wanted to be seen as a powerful man, and appointed Clouet to paint him in a classically renaissance way that highlights his wealth and authority. Dürer, described as a cocky, self-centered man, painted himself in a light that is unique and puts him on a ‘holy’ pedestal (Stokstad 356). In this essay I will show how although both paintings have clear differences with their style, both men in the compositions are conveyed in a great and very powerful sense.
As new ideas traveled main trade routes, such as the Silk Road and the Mediterranean, the effects of such were felt through an influx of contact between countries due to increased desire for new information and countries gaining a larger presence on the world stage. This phenomenon can also be seen through the lens of cultural exchange that took place during this same time period in Eurasia. A major component of the Eurasian trade networks, such as the Silk Road and Indian Ocean, was that they fostered interregional contacts that had ceased to previously exist. When a country had a desire for study or technology, they earned more respect on the global stage. This can be further examined by looking at Marco Polo’s voyage into Asia.
...were known to be two of the most influencial men in terms of “sailing south”. The 14th and 15th centuries in China and Portugal represented an era of expeditions and exploration. Evidence suggests that the structures and values of a society do in fact affect the way people view economic and political expansion and contact with other cultures which can be proved by ample historical evidence. Zheng He was on these expeditions to prove to others that China had indeed regained power and that they wanted to restore tribute on those who didn’t pay it. Henry the Navigator had many intentions for his expeditions. He was eager to find new resources, establish new trade routes, and to spread Christianity. Both of China’s and Portugal’s different structures and values led to the way the two societies viewed economic and political expansion and contact with other cultures.
After this, China shied away from maritime travels and expenses and many records of Zheng He and his voyages disappeared. It was not until the twentieth century that Zheng He started to become an interest again. As so, the significance of his travels could once more be understood by the world. Zheng He’s voyages, put China in the history of oceanic “…exploration, trade, colonization, and exercise of sea power, even if such portrayals took Zheng He out of the context of early Ming history and viewed his voyages from a Western analytical perspective.” (Dreyer, 165). Not to mention, the sheer size of his fleet and treasure ships; which at that time was a massive achievement of its own. Apart from the significance of his fleet and voyages, Zheng He himself also deserves credit for rising so high, as a eunuch who came from humble beginnings.
As in terms of economics, China grew prosperous through trade, military expansion, invention of tools and other means of convenience and through the market economy. From the Han Dynasty China began to build again. The Sui Dynasty constructed the Grand Canal. The Grand Canal was an artificial canal that extended 1,240 miles. It enabled merchants and farmers to travel by water, selling an abundance of rice and other crops. This canal was extremely expensive but throughout the years paid itself off by providing travel routes north and south of China. The Sui Dynasty also built palaces, granarie...
For several centuries the Europeans were always trying to have the best of the best in their country. Because they were so greedy they went of on several voyages to trade and gain those products they desired like silk, porcelain, tea, and lacquer-ware. With this the Europeans were always trying to out due and impress the Chinese with their clocks and their scientific gadgets. But they were never impressed, the Chinese always believed they were better and never wanted much to do with the Europeans. The Chinese were always very advanced in every skill; they believed that they had all that they needed to be a strong nation.
The Chinese empire had once been one of the greatest and most powerful empires in the world. Before the 19th century, China had a large population and was ruled by families or dynasties. It was considered technologically advanced as China had a history of many miraculous inventions, such as: writing, magnetic compasses, movable sails, porcelain, abacus and paper money. Although China was isolated from the rest of the world, it coped well on its own, and saw no need to begin trading with the west, (as Lord McCartney proposed in 1793), since it was a self-sufficient nation. At that particular time, the Chinese empire was still able to exclude the ‘barbarians’, thus forcing them to only trade at one port. However, China soon took a turn for the worst as important ...
The development of Europe and Western Culture are highlighted by five key dates. The main four key dates and there are as follows:
The Renaissance started in the 1300 and ended in 1700 this era of time was the midevil time and during this time people were poor, so when merchants brought goods back from Asia most people could not afford it, so began the age of exploration, People were trying to find sea routes and new ,faster, cheaper ways to Asia. Marco Polo also helped pave the way for exploration because he traveled all over and he tried his own new ways to Asia, after his travels Marco Polo had a man write a book about himself. The book inspired many people to go on their own adventures and
...e, Europeans were finding themselves short of land and room for expansion due to numerous empires in a relatively small area. This led to the search for land. The political powers sought wealth and hoped to achieve this by conquering Asians markets as had been done in the west. Much like the political powers, the Christian church greedily sought mass expansion and conversion, pushing for missions in the foreign lands. In contrast to the Europeans motives, the reasons for Chinese commercial expansion were desires and curiosity of a single emperor in the Ming dynasty that was not pushed for by the aristocrats, church, or scholar-gentry. Whereas the general consensus of Europe pushed for expansion for economic, political, and religious reasons, the expansion was the doing of one emperor who looked for wealth for defense against the threat of the Mongols from the north.
The Age of Exploration in Europe developed along with the Renaissance. In Western history, both periods served as transitional movements between the early modern and Middle Ages periods. The evolution as well as advancement of abroad exploration was fueled by competition between growing European empires like England and Spain. The size as well as the influence of European empires expanded greatly during this time as it was motivated by profit, religion and power. The exploration’s effects were felt both abroad as well as in the geographical boundaries of Europe itself. The political, cultural and economical influences of Europe’s early stages of international exploration affected the continuing development of European society as well as the whole world.
Zheng transported and controlled fleets; the largest group of naval vessels under one commander, organized for specific tactical or other purposes, and Marco polo traveled by ship; however, Zheng He’s fleet was able to carry around 400 sailors due to shipbuilding industry be at it’s height during his exploration. That shows the stronger the industry the more money backing his explorations by the Yongle emperor. However, Marco Polo did achieve great success in his studies and travels; even though, his empire where he was from wasn’t as skilled as the Chinese. Zheng He and Marco had a close relationship with a king or emperor. First, Marco Polo and his brother traveled to the Mongol Empire and he served on Kublai Khan’s court. Marco and his brother remained loyal to Khan and served again and brought his son with him. His relationship with Kublai gave Marco paved the way and opened Chinese trade to the rest of the world, and paved the way for more modern explorers such as Christopher Columbus. Zheng He had a quite interesting relationship with the Yongle emperor. The yongle emperor appointed Zheng He to command the treasure fleet. Zheng He was close with The emperor because the new Yongle emperor’s family adopted Zheng he into their family before the new Yongle emperor took the throne. Zheng He established long lasting ties with the places within Asia and
Today we can look around ourselves and see thousands of technical innovations that make life easier; But if we take a step back and ask ourselves “How?” we will soon realize that most often, these technological advancements did not just “poof” into existence, but are usually the outcome of building upon yesterday’s technology. If we follow this cycle back into time, we can attribute almost any modern day invention to an ancient civilization during its golden age. China was no exception. China’s Song and Tang dynasties fostered scientific advances comparable to Rome’s during its Pax Romana. The most significant and impacting of these were the development of primitive gunpowder and porcelain of the Tang and paper money, and the magnetic compass of the Song Dynasties. Although these may seem very far off, if you look hard enough, you can see traces of their impacts in society today because most of the advancements today we owe to them.
The Renaissance, which began in Italy in the 1300s, was one of the largest periods of growth and development in Western Europe. Navigation was no longer limited to traveling about by land. Large fleets of ships were constructed, and great navigational schools, the best founded by Prince Henry the Navigator in Portugal, were founded. People were no longer tied to the lands they lived on, as they were in medieval times. They were freer to learn new skills and travel. These enabled people to go further than they had before. Fleets of ships were sent to the Eastern world to bring back treasures and valuable spices. Routes to Asia were traveled beginning in the early Renaissance.