Which of the following explorers was influenced by The Travels of Marco Polo?
Christopher Columbus
Francis Drake
Jacques Cartier
Bartolomeu Dias
I do not know what this has to do about American History but Bartolomeu Dias rounded the tip of Africa starting the sailing route from Europe to Asia, following in the footsteps of Marco Polo but by sea.
thank you, they have this for some reason in my American History course.
To find out which of the explorers was influenced by The Travels of Marco Polo, we can look up each explorer's historical background and their connection to Marco Polo.
1. Christopher Columbus: To determine if Christopher Columbus was influenced by Marco Polo, we need to investigate the timeline. Marco Polo's book, The Travels of Marco Polo, was written in the 13th century, while Christopher Columbus made his famous voyage across the Atlantic in 1492. Since Marco Polo had already passed away by the time Columbus began his explorations, it is unlikely that Columbus was directly influenced by him.
2. Francis Drake: Francis Drake, an English explorer, lived during the late 16th century. His exploratory voyages took place around the same time as Marco Polo's influence began to spread in Europe. However, there is no direct evidence to suggest that Drake was influenced by The Travels of Marco Polo.
3. Jacques Cartier: Jacques Cartier was a French explorer who explored parts of North America in the early 16th century. Similar to Drake, Cartier's explorations occurred after Marco Polo's time, so it is unlikely that he was directly influenced by Marco Polo's travels.
4. Bartolomeu Dias: Bartolomeu Dias was a Portuguese explorer who is known for being the first European to sail around the southern tip of Africa, the Cape of Good Hope. His expeditions took place in the late 15th century, just a few decades after the publication of Marco Polo's book. While there is no direct evidence linking Dias to Marco Polo, there is a higher possibility that he may have been influenced by Polo's travels due to the proximity in time.
In conclusion, out of the four options, Bartolomeu Dias is the explorer who may have been influenced by The Travels of Marco Polo. However, keep in mind that historical influences can be challenging to confirm definitively, and it's always recommended to consult multiple sources for a comprehensive understanding.