The history of a part of the world is often partially the result of the location. China, India, The Near East, and Europe developed in different ways. These different ways were the result of their nearness to a specific ocean-the Indian Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, or The Pacific Ocean. Their location, their geography, was part of their destiny.
Look at the map of the world. You can see that the continent of Africa is connected to continent of Eurasia by an area called the Near East. People often think of Eurasia as two continents, Europe and Asia. It is difficult to see where Asia ends and Europe begins, however. Europe is really a peninsula or extension of Asia.
In the middle ages, the followers of Islam controlled The Near East and North Africa. Because the followers of Islam controlled the Near East, it was possible for traders from Europe to get to the Indian Ocean. Because it was impossible from Europe to get to the Indian Ocean, the followers of Islam controlled the trade the countries on the Indian Ocean. These countries were India and Ceylon and the various countries of Southeast Asia.
People could get to China from Indian ocean. They could also get to China by traveling across the Northern part of Asia. However, European could cross northern Asia only when Mongol controlled it in 13th Century. When the Mongols controlled northern Asia, traveler were usually safe from robbers and other dangerous people. The famous Italian traveler Marco Polo went to China when much of Asia was under Mongol control. Unfortunately, the time Mongols control did not last long.
China and the countries on the Indian traded freely which each other all through the middle ages. Europeans were prevented being part of that trade. Europeans wanted very much to be part of that trade. They also wanted to travel across Africa and trade for gold in Africa. Because the followers of Islam controlled North Africa, the European were not able to do so.
The European began to explore the Atlantic Ocean because they could not reach the Indian Ocean. Prince Hendry the Navigator sent Portuguese ship down the west coast of Africa. He hopped to find a way around the southern tip of Africa to the Indian Ocean. He didn’t find the way, but Portuguese explorers found it after Prince Hendry died.
The Geeks knew that earth was a sphere. or ball. Many educated Europeans in the late middle ages knew the earth was a sphere. Chistopher Colombus was one of these Europeans. He thought the earth was smaller than it really is, however. The rulers of Spain gave Colombus money and ship to sail across the Atlantic Ocean to China and the other countries that Europe was cut off from by Islam.
Colombus did not get to the China, but he reached the islands of the Caribbean and eventually South America. No one in the world knew that North and South America existed. It look time before the European realized that they had discovered a new world.
Because they were cut off from Indian Ocean. The people were of Europe were forced to use the Atlantic Ocean. Completely by accident, they discovered the new trade that was possible there. They had no reason to try to cross the Pacific Ocean, so they did not discover the new world.
Source: More Reason for Reading, 1992 p.36
Look at the map of the world. You can see that the continent of Africa is connected to continent of Eurasia by an area called the Near East. People often think of Eurasia as two continents, Europe and Asia. It is difficult to see where Asia ends and Europe begins, however. Europe is really a peninsula or extension of Asia.
In the middle ages, the followers of Islam controlled The Near East and North Africa. Because the followers of Islam controlled the Near East, it was possible for traders from Europe to get to the Indian Ocean. Because it was impossible from Europe to get to the Indian Ocean, the followers of Islam controlled the trade the countries on the Indian Ocean. These countries were India and Ceylon and the various countries of Southeast Asia.
People could get to China from Indian ocean. They could also get to China by traveling across the Northern part of Asia. However, European could cross northern Asia only when Mongol controlled it in 13th Century. When the Mongols controlled northern Asia, traveler were usually safe from robbers and other dangerous people. The famous Italian traveler Marco Polo went to China when much of Asia was under Mongol control. Unfortunately, the time Mongols control did not last long.
China and the countries on the Indian traded freely which each other all through the middle ages. Europeans were prevented being part of that trade. Europeans wanted very much to be part of that trade. They also wanted to travel across Africa and trade for gold in Africa. Because the followers of Islam controlled North Africa, the European were not able to do so.
The European began to explore the Atlantic Ocean because they could not reach the Indian Ocean. Prince Hendry the Navigator sent Portuguese ship down the west coast of Africa. He hopped to find a way around the southern tip of Africa to the Indian Ocean. He didn’t find the way, but Portuguese explorers found it after Prince Hendry died.
The Geeks knew that earth was a sphere. or ball. Many educated Europeans in the late middle ages knew the earth was a sphere. Chistopher Colombus was one of these Europeans. He thought the earth was smaller than it really is, however. The rulers of Spain gave Colombus money and ship to sail across the Atlantic Ocean to China and the other countries that Europe was cut off from by Islam.
Colombus did not get to the China, but he reached the islands of the Caribbean and eventually South America. No one in the world knew that North and South America existed. It look time before the European realized that they had discovered a new world.
Because they were cut off from Indian Ocean. The people were of Europe were forced to use the Atlantic Ocean. Completely by accident, they discovered the new trade that was possible there. They had no reason to try to cross the Pacific Ocean, so they did not discover the new world.
Source: More Reason for Reading, 1992 p.36
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