Marco Polo (1254 - 1323?) was born into to a family of merchants from Venice, Italy who did a great deal of traveling to carry out their business of trading. In the year 1269 Marco's Father and Uncle returned from a long trading trip to Venice. They had traveled all the way to Cathay (China). While they were there, the current Emperor of China asked them to return with teachers and Missionaries for the Chinese people. In 1271 they returned, and they took Marco with them.

On the way to Cathay, in Palestine, they picked up 3 monks who were missionaries to China. Soon afterwards they turned back because they feared the dangers of the voyage ahead of them. In 1275 Marco and his fellow travelers arrived to greet the Emperor (Kublai Khan) at his palace.

The Emperor especially liked Marco, so he appointed him the Governor of a busy city called

Columbus thought that they had landed at Asia. In actuality, they had landed on the Bahamas. The natives peacefully watched as Columbus and his crew claimed the land for Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand. Wanting to bring back riches to please the King and Queen, they asked the natives where gold could be found. The natives told them where a gold mine could be found. Some of the crew members asked to be left behind. So Columbus chose 30 men to remain behind and colonize.

When the Khan from Persia asked to marry the daughter of Kublai Khan, Kublai gave his consent. Hearing of this, the Polos suggested that on her journey to Persia she should be guarded by men of experience and rank. This would also allow the Polos to visit Venice on the way. The Khan agreed to this proposition.

On this journey, they sailed along Indochina and the Malay Peninsula to Sumatra. They visited Ceylon and India, and touched the East African Coast. Accompanying the Polos on this Journey were the princess and 600 Chinese Noblemen. Only 18 of the 600 noblemen lived to reach Persia.

Their trek started on May 14, 1804 as they paddled up the Missouri in a 55-foot keelboat. Their first meeting with the Indians was on July 30 in Council Bluffs in Iowa. On October 26, they met the Mandan Indian tribe. In the tribe was Frenchan Toussaint Charbonneau and his Indian wife, Sacagawea. They hired the Frenchman and his wife as interpreters. On April 16th the party passed the mouth of the Yellowstone, and on the 13th of June, they came to the Great Falls of Missouri. Carrying the canoes the Indians had helped them build to avoid the falls created a month's delay. On July 13th they launched the canoes again above the waterfalls. On the 25th, they came upon a fork in the river, with three rivers breaking off, and they named them: the Madison, the Jefferson, and the Gallatin.

During the voyage, Columbus kept two records of their travel progress. One was the distance he thought they had traveled, and the other was a phony record to put the crews at ease from being so far from their homeland. In actuality, the phony rec

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Approximate Word count = 1430
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)