Module 1 Assignment

DIRECTIONS:  READ THE FOLLOWING AND ANSWER THE QUESTION (IN BOLD) AT THE BOTTOM.  YOUR ANSWER MUST BE AT LEAST 200 WORDS IN LENGTH, MUST USE GOOD GRAMMAR AND SPELLING, AND SHOW THE ABILITY TO ANALYZE A PRIMARY SOURCE.

MOTIVES FOR EUROPEAN EXPLORATION

Historians generally recognize three motives for European exploration—God, glory, and gold. Particularly in the strongly Catholic nations of Spain and Portugal, religious zeal motivated the rulers to make converts and retake land from the Muslims. Prince Henry the Navigator of Portugal described his “great desire to make increase in the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ and to bring him all the souls that should be saved.”

Sailors’ tales about fabulous monsters and fantasy literature about exotic worlds filled with gold, silver, and jewels captured the minds of men who desired to explore these lands and return with untold wealth and the glory of adventure and discovery. They sparked the imagination of merchants like Marco Polo, who made the long and dangerous trip to the realm of the great Mongol ruler Kublai Khan in 1271. The story of his trip, printed in a book entitled Travels, inspired Columbus, who had a copy in his possession during his voyage more than two hundred years later. Passages such as the following, which describes China’s imperial palace, are typical of the Travels:

"You must know that it is the greatest Palace that ever was. . . . The roof is very lofty, and the walls of the Palace are all covered with gold and silver. They are also adorned with representations of dragons [sculptured and gilt], beasts and birds, knights and idols, and sundry other subjects. And on the ceiling too you see nothing but gold and silver and painting. [On each of the four sides there is a great marble staircase leading to the top of the marble wall, and forming the approach to the Palace.] The hall of the Palace is so large that it could easily dine 6,000 people; and it is quite a marvel to see how many rooms there are besides. The building is altogether so vast, so rich, and so beautiful, that no man on earth could design anything superior to it. The outside of the roof also is all colored with vermilion and yellow and green and blue and other hues, which are fixed with a varnish so fine and exquisite that they shine like crystal, and lend a resplendent lustre to the Palace as seen for a great way round. This roof is made too with such strength and solidity that it is fit to last forever."

Why might a travel account like this one have influenced an explorer like Columbus? What does this tell us about European explorers’ motivations and goals?

(WARNING:  ANY ASSIGNMENT COPIED DIRECTLY FROM YOUR TEXTBOOK OR ANY OTHER SOURCE WILL BE TREATED AS PLAGIARISM.  PUT THIS ASSIGNMENT INTO YOUR OWN WORDS OR YOU WILL FACE VERY SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES.) 

Objectives:

This writing assignment aligns with course level objectives 1, 2, and 3 and module level objectives 2 and 4.