Marco Polo

**early life**

His great-uncle who was also called Marco Polo, borrowed money and commanded a ship in Constantinople, His grandfather, Andrea Polo had three sons, Maffeo, another Marco, and Marco Polos father father Niccolò.

His father, Niccolò Polo, a Venetian merchant traded with the Near East, he became very wealthy. Niccolò and his brother Maffeo set off on a trading journey before Marco was born. Niccolò and Maffeo, while living in Constantinople then the capital of the Latin Empire,saw a change in the politics and decided to leave, they journeyed through much of Asia, and met with Kublai Khan a Mongol ruler and founder of the Yuan dynasty. it turns out that the time they decided to leave proved timely. Michael VIII Palaiologos took Constantinople, Captured Venetian citizens and blinded them. many of them escaped but later perished on overloaded refugee boats.

There isnt anything recorded about Marco Polo's life before he was 15 years of age. The only thing we really know is that he probably spent most of his childhhod in Venice. Marco Polo's mother and father died and he was raised by his auntie and uncle. He received a good education. His father later re-married and returned home to meet his son for the first time.

Marco being 17 years old went on his first adventure with his uncle and this father on a set of trips to Asia which he later documented in his book. they returned 24 years later and were very wealthy. over the whole time they were gone they travelled around 24,000 km.

**overview**

Marco polo was born on the 15th of september 1254 at Venice, Italy (republic of Venice). And passed away on the 8th of January 1324 (69-70 years of age) in Venice, Italy.
He was a Venetian merchant traveller that journeyed along th esilk road, he learnt this trade from his father and uncle.
He was thrown in jail and when he was released he became a wealthy merchant, got married and had 3 children.

**major achievements**

He is best known for his achievement of being a world traveler and pioneer. He was also the first european to leave a detailed chronicle of his experience in Asia and china, travelling along the silk roads was probably his greatest achievement because he opened the minds of the europeans and showed them that you could trade with the Middle East, he brought back many different inventions and ideas.

**importance to the renaissance and his impacts**

He was important in the renaissance because he brought back helpful information, ineventions and ideas from his travels for the Europeans. He became the only European source about China. some of the ideas he brought back were; pasta, paper money, coals, lenses, gunpowder, silk and spices

**how we look at Marco Polo today**
Because of Marco Polo the world is what it is like today. If it wasnt for him and his exploration skills the world would be very different. We wouldnt have some of the inventions like the ones listed above and Christopher Columbus wouldnt have been inspired to become an explorer or adventurer and discover America and the outcome of the world would be very different.

**fun facts**

-He wrote his book while he was in prison

-He barely knew his uncle and father when they began their adventures to Asia

-Marco Polo mistook some of the animals he saw for mythical creatures

-the Polos barely made it out of Asia alive
- they lost much of their fortune when returning home.

**bibliography**
http://www.history.com/topics/exploration/marco-polo
https://www.biography.com/people/marco-polo-9443861
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marco\_Polo
https://prezi.com/k8socxdxmvwu/marco-polo-renaissance-assignment/