A map of Marco Polo's route to and from China.
 
 
Subject Areas
Art and Culture
   Anthropology
History and Social Studies
   World History - Asia/Far East
   World History - Europe
 
Time Required
  Lesson 1: 60 minutes
Lesson 2: 60 minutes
Lesson 3: 60 minutes
Lesson 4: 60 minutes
Lesson 5: 60 minutes
Lesson 6: 60 minutes
Lesson 7: 60 minutes
Lesson 8: 60 minutes
 
Skills
  Map skills
Observation and description
Collaboration
Brainstorming
Visual art
 
Additional Data
  Date Created: 07/31/03

On the Road with Marco Polo: From Hormuz to Kashgar

Lesson Three of Curriculum Unit:
On the Road with Marco Polo

Marco Polo and his father and uncle had traveled all the way from Venice to Hormuz, a port on the Persian Gulf. From here they had hoped to travel by ship to China. But they were so concerned about the seaworthiness of the ships they found there that they changed their plans and decided instead to follow a series of trade routes across Asia to China. They set out, traveling northeast through Persia until they entered Afghanistan.

Student Activity:

Afghanistan is a very rugged country. Find out about its geography by accessing the following website

Since very early times, most Afghans have been nomadic herders of cattle and camels. However, there are some craftsmen and merchants among them.

Guiding Questions for Discussion:

  • What difficulties might the Polos have encountered in traveling across the harsh terrain of Afghanistan?
  • What might the living conditions in this region have been like?
  • How did most of the local people make a living?

The Polos were now traveling along one of the main routes of the Silk Road. This network of trade routes had been used for centuries by merchants carrying products between China and the West.

A thin strip of Afghanistan protrudes eastward into China. This is where the Polos encountered a major challenge: the towering Pamir Mountains.

  • Access Elevation map of Afghanistan available through Ask Asia. Using your cursor, point out the strip of Afghanistan that extends eastward into China. You might also wish to indicate this area on the large world map in the classroom.
  • Access Topography of western Asia available through Asia Source. This is a graphic representation of the mountains of Central Asia. Explain that the darker shades of brown indicate mountains with the highest elevations, while white indicates a snowcap. This region has some of the world's tallest mountains. (Mt. Everest is nearby.) Point out the Pamirs.
  • You can view an image of the rugged peaks of the Pamirs by accessing Weekly wallpaper available through Xpeditions. Click on Panorama of the Pamirs; then click your monitor size to download the image; maximize the image on the screen. Notice the horses grazing in the valley in the foreground. Since ancient times, the Pamir region (which extends to the Ferghana valley to the north) has been famous for beautiful, long-legged horses. The Chinese acquired thousands of them for their imperial armies.

Guiding Questions for Discussion:

  • What is the terrain like in Afghanistan?
  • What are some of the challenges in traveling across Afghanistan and into China?

Once they made it across the Pamirs, the Polos arrived in Kashgar, an important trading center. This is where merchant caravans could acquire fresh pack animals, water, and food supplies. This bustling town must have been a welcome sight after the rigorous trek through the deserts and mountains!

Student Activity:

Carefully study the photographs of modern Kashgar, still a trading center, at the following websites (available through Asia Source):

Guiding Questions for Discussion:

  • Why was Kashgar an important stop along the Silk Road?
  • What sorts of products could be obtained there?
  • What are some of the products sold in Kashgar today?

Assessment:

Instruct the students, working in pairs, to fill out the chart Afghanistan and Bordering China in PDF format. Then explain that Marco Polo was a very observant young man, who most likely kept a detailed diary of his travels. Have each student assume the role of Marco Polo and write an entry (or more) in his diary, describing the highlights of the journey from Hormuz to Kashgar.

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Return to Curriculum Unit: On the Road with Marco Polo

Selected EDSITEment Websites

Asia Source

Ask Asia

Internet Public Library

Xpeditions

Other Information

Standards Alignment

  1. NAES-VisArts(K-4) 4

    Understanding the visual arts in relation to history and cultures

  2. NCSS-1

    Culture and cultural diversity. more

  3. NCSS-2

    Time, continuity, and change. The ways human beings view themselves in and over time. more

  4. NCSS-3

    People, places, and environments. more

  5. NCTE/IRA-7

    Students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions, and by posing problems. They gather, evaluate, and synthesize data from a variety of sources (e.g., print and nonprint texts, artifacts, people) to communicate their discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and audience. more

  6. NGS-1

    How to Use Maps and Other Geographic Representations, Tools, and Technologies to Acquire, Process, and Report Information from a Spatial Perspective

  7. NGS-12

    The Processes, Patterns, and Functions of Human Settlement

  8. NGS-17

    How to Apply Geography to Interpret the Past

  9. NGS-2

    How to Use Mental Maps to Organize Information About People, Places, and Environments in a Spatial Context

  10. NGS-3

    How to Analyze the Spatial Organization of People, Places, and Environments on Earth’s Surface

  11. NGS-9

    The Characteristics, Distribution, and Migration of Human Population on Earth’s Surface

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