In Chapter 19, you learned about China’s contacts with the outside world. You discovered that, at different times, China both welcomed and rejected foreign contacts. During periods when China was more open, new ideas and products flowed into and out of the country. Merchants, missionaries, and other visitors also came to China.

One of the most famous travelers to China was the Italian merchant and adventurer Marco Polo. He set off for Asia in 1271 and did not return to Europe again until 1295. He claimed, during his absence, to have lived in China and served Kublai Khan, the ruler of the Mongol Empire.

Soon after his return to Venice, Italy, Polo was taken prisoner by the Genoese—enemies of the Venetians—and put in jail. He told stories of his travels to another prisoner, an Italian writer. The writer, named Rustichello, eventually wrote down the stories Polo told him and created the book, The Travels of Marco Polo. The book was extremely important. It introduced Europeans to many Asian people, places, and cultures that they could not see for themselves.

There is some disagreement among historians about the truth of some of Marco Polo’s stories. Below is an excerpt from The Travels of Marco Polo. In it, he describes the lifestyle and activities of the Tartars (Polo’s name for the Mongols in China). What do you learn about the Tartars from Polo’s account?

Excerpt from The Travels of Marco Polo
On the Tartars

Now that I have begun speaking of the Tartars, I will tell you more about them. The Tartars never remain fixed [in one place], but as the winter approaches remove [move] to the plains of a warmer region, to find sufficient pasture [land for grazing] for their cattle; and in summer they frequent [stay in] cold areas in the mountains, where there is water and verdure [grass], and their cattle are free from the annoyance of horse-flies and other biting insects.

Their huts or tents are formed of rods covered with felt, exactly round, and nicely put together, so they can gather them into one bundle, and make them up as packages, which they carry along with them in their migrations [travels] upon a sort of car [cart] with four wheels. When they have occasion to set them up again, they always make the entrance front to the south.

The women attend to their trading concerns, buy and sell, and provide everything necessary for their husbands and their families; the time of the men is devoted entirely to hunting, hawking, and matters that relate to the military life. They have the best falcons in the world, and also the best dogs.

Source
Fordham.com, “Medieval Sourcebook: Marco Polo: On the Tartars,”
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/mpolo44-46.html.


Investigating Primary Sources

As you learned, historians disagree about whether all of Marco Polo’s stories are true. Historians use certain words to talk about what is fact (something that is known to be true or that has definitely happened) and what is opinion (an idea or belief that may or may not be true), including these terms:

Verifiable: Information that can be proven by examining other sources.

Unverifiable: Information that cannot be proven by examining other sources.

On a separate sheet of paper, answer these questions to evaluate Marco Polo’s description of the Tartars:

•	Is the information in The Travels of Marco Polo verifiable? Why or why not?
•	How many statements do you think are facts? List no fewer than three facts.
•	How many statements do you think are opinions? Write down one statement that you think is an opinion.
•	Are there any statements that seem exaggerated or somewhat unbelievable? Why would Marco Polo want to exaggerate the truth?
•	On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate the usefulness of The Travels of Marco Polo in learning about the Tartars? Explain your rating.

History Alive! The Medieval World and Beyond, Investigating Primary Sources