The United States gives Columbus a national holiday, Zheng He should deserve a national holiday as well. He was kidnapped at the age of ten by the Ming Dynasty, and had to watch as his father died. He was taken prisoner and became an eunuch who eventually rose to power. The Emperor Yongle rewarded his loyalty by electing him as the fleet commander and eventually went on 7 voyages all around Asia, India, and eastern Africa in the next 28 years. Using the measuring sticks of scale/size, significance, and skill, should we commemorate the voyages of Zheng He? We should recognize the voyages of Zheng He for the 3 major reasons, the incredible distances/destinations traveled, the amazing size/scale of the ships, and the honorary purpose of many of the expeditions. On reason we should celebrate is his fleet made incredible distances and destinations, especially for the period of time he traveled in. Zheng He traveled 105,300 total miles in his life. (DOC A) One round trip from Nanjing, his home port in China, to Calicut, one of many destinations he traveled to on his voyages, was a total of 11,600 miles. (DOC A) It took 18,500 total miles to take a round trip from Nanjing to the east of Africa, which was another one of the popular ports that he traveled to. (DOC A) The distance that was …show more content…
Zheng He had a fleet that contained 255 ships, compared to Columbus’s 3 ships. (DOC B) Zheng He also had 27,500 crew members compared to Columbus's 90 members. (DOC B) Not only is the amounts amazing in comparison but also the fact that Christopher Columbus was about 100 years after Zheng He and they had even more advancements in technology than Zheng He. So we can say that at least in terms of scale Zheng He had a bigger, by far, amount of ships, and a huge amount of crew members compared to the well recognised Christopher
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 myths of his voyages begin with himself. For it was he who reported to
This ended when the emperor Yong’le and began to put his interest into sea voyages and investing greatly into these voyages ("Ancient China: The 15th Century Fleet."). Yong’le chose his lead eunuch to head the ventures to other lands. Zheng the lead eunuch to the emperor led seven expeditions to areas around the now called region of the Indian Ocean ("Ancient China: The 15th Century Fleet."). In 1414 China set out on sea expedition of a large magnitude with a manpower of 30,000 men ("Ancient China: The 15th Century Fleet."). The bulk of the load was carried on massive ships called the galleons which was 400 feet long and could carry a load of about 1,500 tons ("Ancient China: The 15th Century Fleet."). Furthermore, with this fleet they were able to complete large trade expeditions and explore foreign land that prior they did not visit because of their isolation. ("Ancient China: The 15th Century Fleet."). Unfortunately, the fleet saw its last voyage after the death of emperor Yong’le and the induction of the new emperor Xuande allowed for this final voyage where at sea Zheng the eunuch died at sea. Through this expansion started by emperor Yong’le China had and continues to have a growing and mighty naval
Accompanied by 27,000 men on 62 large and 255 small ships, the Chinese eunuch Zheng He, led 7 naval expeditions to Southeast Asia, Middle East and east coast of Africa in the span of 28 years during the Ming Dynasty. The scale of Zheng He’s fleet was unprecedented in world history. The large treasure ships used during the expeditions were purported to be 440 feet long and 180 feet wide (Dreyer, p. 102). Throughout his travels, Zheng He brought Chinese tea, porcelain and silk products to foreign countries and also brought back exotic goods to the Ming court such as spices, plants and leather. Although his voyages fostered commercial trades and cultural exchange between China and foreign countries, the goal of his expeditions stemmed from the political motivation to maintain the tributary system and his voyages had important political implication of causing Neo-Confucian opposition and suspension of the expedition.
In my opinion, Christopher Columbus receives more than he deserves. I do not believe Colombus deserves a day of celebration. While I do not believe Colombus discovered America; I presume he did introduce America. There are numerous myths of who actually discovered America. According to Zimmerman (1992), in a book written by Patricia Lauber, it is suggested that Vikings to Irish priests and English fisherman may have discovered America before Columbus.
Henry the Navigator did many great things and they should be remembered. Everything from when he was 21 and joined his siblings and father and participated in his first fight to when he died. His navigation school was very important and helped many others. Even when he sponsored all those expeditions that gave others purposes and a chance to sail and travel, to try and find new places. Whether they made any discoveries or came back with nothing, it gave them a purpose. The Age of Exploration and history would’ve differed greatly if Henry the Navigator were to go down a different path. Henry the Navigator may not have gone out of his own country much, but he definitely contributed to many people in Europe, and history too.
Zheng He was a celebrated voyager that drove numerous incredible campaigns amid the Ming Dynasty. During his time, Chinese sovereigns sent fleets of Chinese boats to numerous locations. He voyaged all over, even East Africa. In one of his essential voyages, he even took 262 vessels and 28,000 mariners. Amid his endeavors, he promoted trade, gathered tribute and shown Ming predominance, showing outside rulers how effective the Chinese were. Due to his efforts, China succeeded significantly, and different countries perceived the prowess and how advance China had become. The accomplishment of China in the Ming Dynasty has a great deal to do with Zheng He and his undertakings. He made numerous amazing accomplishments during his life, and the impacts
When he left from France in 1524, he crossed the Atlantic Ocean and reached Cape Fear. Then he stopped at a place called Arcadia, which today is most likely Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. It was only on his third embarking from land that he landed in New York Harbor (“Extraordinary Explorers and Adventurers” 69-70). This shows that he tried hard and didn’t give up. He went on multiple voyages, and that shows that he was dedicated to his career of becoming a maritime explorer.
Zheng He was born in 1371, Kunyang Yunnan province, China and died in 1433, Calicut, now Kozhikode. He was an admiral, explorer, eunuch, diplomat, and trader, whose adventures brought great wealth and riches to China and spread its religions and influences across Southeast Asia, Persia, Arabia, Africa and India. He was always remembered for his greatness and his leadership in the expeditions and adventures he made. He made a whooping number of SEVEN voyages, each aiming extend Chinese maritime and establish trade across all these places.
Zheng He was a admirable Chinese Muslim, whom led all of the seven voyages of exploration during the Ming Dynasty. Out of all of the remarkable factors, scale was the most present during Zheng He's voyages. Everything ranging from the distances traveled to the fleet size to the ship's measurements was large in scale. Anywhere from forty to thirty ships sailed in each expedition, including fighting ships, storage ships, and large treasure ships measuring more than four hundred feet long. On some voyages the crews numbered over a remarkable twenty-seven thousand. Each crew would be equipped with sailors, soldiers, carpenters, interpreters, accountants, doctors, and religious leaders. One of the ships on Zheng He's he's voyages could be compared
Between 1403 to 1433, Zheng He was a Chinese explorer who traveled from China to India to the East Coast of Africa. Zheng He led seven major voyages that extended the cultural and economic reach of the Chinese empire. The voyages extended China’s influence and brought it great treasures in trade and tribute while Zheng He was in power. Each voyage brought a meaning of friendship and peace between China and the other countries of the world. The voyages helped China become a political superpower. Zheng He was a man who faced many obstacles to become an admiral of the greatest navy the world had ever seen.
I believe Christopher Columbus was not not a terrific sailor and explore. He explored but he didn't really know what he was exploring. He thought he was in India but he was really in the Dominican Republic.
“The Tao-te Ching is as much about good government as it is moral behavior.” (Thoughts from the Tao-te Ching 203.) The points Lao-tzu was trying to get across can be interpreted in many ways… But ultimately it resulted in a form of guidance given to us. Understanding how to be a good leader is beneficial to everyone. Good leadership is a great characteristic to have, and learning ways of minimizing the power you have as a leader is going to be the key to the Tao. Being able to identify the means of Lao-tzu’s teachings will help an individual such as a political leader to limit power, also by understanding his word it can help individuals overcome obstacles, lastly his teachings can influence a society to learn respect for one another.
Zheng He, an admiral of the 15th century, who sailed the Indian Ocean to make alliances for the Ming dynasty should not be celebrated because his actions were not essential to China. Although he did travel thousands of miles, he did not discover any new territory, so what makes him different from any other admiral? He had a crew of 27,500 people which was not necessary at all just for making alliances by giving gifts or repaying a gift. Also those 27,500 people could have been more resourceful in China than of those seven voyages. Since China was already the best out of the rest of the nations, there was no real reason to give gifts to foreign envoys especially since the Ming Dynasty became bankrupt because of these actions.
King Wu the leader of the Zhou overthrew the last king of the Shang Dynasty. This started the Zhou Dynasty. The Zhou dynasty was the longest of the Chinese dynasties. The Zhou dynasty introduced a process known as the mandate to heaven. The mandate to heaven determined the king and also if the king should be impeached. The mandate to heaven was also used to justify the Zhou's rebellion. Along with the coming of the Zhou dynasty also came a new political order. In the Zhou dynasty political order people were granted land for the services such as serving in the military or showing loyalty. The king was in charge of all the plots of land which he granted to the people second highest in the political order, the lords. The lords did certain things such as paying taxes to