Chapter 13 covers a lot of ground, basically spanning the globe during the 15th century. The chapter is so broad I'm just going to focus on one area I thought interesting which was the stories and comparisons of Columbus and China's Zheng He.
Columbus with three small ships and 90 people began the new world of America. Following on the footsteps of the discovery of America there was the start the slave trade and the eradication of American Indians through killings and disease. The European maritime fleet went to find riches, convert folks to Christianity and expand their empires.
China's fleet and output was much different. 300 ships with 27,000 people under the leadership of a Royal eunuch Zheng He. A model of one of Zheng He's ship is in the below link. His treasure whip was over 400 feet long and had thousands of people aboard. The text says that all of Columbus' and De Gamma's ships could have fit on the deck of one of Z. He's ships. China's fleet was recalled after 30 year's due to the death of the supporting/sponsoring Emporer Yongle. The general Chinese idea was that if they needed something someone would bring it to them.
I wonder what modern society would be like if the Chinese fleet went beyond their local area with an intent on colonization and discovery? I have a feeling that with the armada the size it was they might have amassed much of the western world had they chosen to.
http://image.ec21.com/image/hfshipm/oimg_GC00776624_CA00879566/ZhengHe.jpg
See you all Monday
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Wouldn't that be a change in world events if China discovered America?? It is crazy to think that in the 15th century China had the ability to build 300 ships.
ReplyDeleteWell - seems to me China was sailing in the wrong direction ;-)... Really - they had a lot of land between them and America to get around sailing West, Indonesia, India and this little continent called Africa. But it is interesting to think about how their discovery of the America's would have changed the game... I suspect for one we would all be eating a lot more rice ;-) but seriously (yah right), the end game may still be the same... China is an economic world power... They already own a sizable share of the America's by way of investments in the global economy and are set up (not without challenges) for great success. Maybe we will find our selves under the next dynasty?!
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