Marco Polo

Marco Polo

Marco Polo was born on September 15, 1254 in Venice, Italy. His mother died after giving birth to him. He was named after his uncle. When he was only 17, he moved to China. Marco Polo, his father, and uncle used the Silk Road to China. The Silk Road is a path that was made to transport goods from Europe in the north to Asia in the south and back again. In China, Marco Polo worked for King Kublai Khan for 17 years. Marco Polo learned to speak Chinese. Later in his life Marco Polo was a ship captain. Marco Polo was put in jail because the Chinese people were afraid he would become wealthy. He was finally released in 1299. The next year, he married Donata. They had three daughters named Fatina, Bellela and Moreta. Marco Polo died in 1324 in the place where he was born, Venice. Marco Polo was a good inspiration for other explorers such as Christopher Columbus.

Marco Polo is a hero because he made great maps of Asia. Before Marco Polo made the maps, Europeans couldn’t go to Asia so easily. I chose Marco Polo for my project because he made great maps of Asia and he was brave, strong, and thoughtful. He wanted to make traveling easier for others.