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Marco Polo was an early explorer. Most importantly his contact with civilizations in China was documented in a book. This book was read by adventurous men like himself, and inspired countless Europeans to look for an easy way to India and China. One of the most important, that people who live in North American like to thank was Christopher Columbus. Marco Polo's book was a major reason that the "1492" event ever started.

There were explorers even before Marco Polo. Explorers often were looking for ways to make money through trade with other countries .
The trade route that took the Polo's, father, uncle and 17 year old son Marco Polo to China was known as the Silk Road.

Marco Polo is famous for his travels through Asia. He was one of the first Europeans to travel into Mongolia and China. He became famous for his book that told the story of his travels along the Silk Road to China.

On this journey, he became a favorite of Kublai Khan, the Mongol Emperor. He roamed through Mongolia and China for 17 years. He traveled farther into China than any European had gone before. Finally, he took a ride to Persia and then back home. In all, he was gone for 24 years!
In 1298, there was a conflict between Venice and Genoa. Polo was captured by the Genoese and imprisoned by them. While in jail, Marco dictated the story of his travels to a writer who published the book, The Travels of Marco Polo. Marco Polo died in 1324.

Marco Polo sailed south from Venice, Italy, in the Mediterranean Sea to the Middle East. They then went southeast overland to Persia (now Iran), then through the Pamir Mountains and the Gobi Desert, to Beijing, China. They explored the area south of Beijing, including Yunan and Szechuan. Returning to Beijing, they traveled east to Tankchow (at the mouth of the Yangtse River), then south to Hangchow, China. They then sailed south along the coast of China, to what are now Vietnam and Sumatra. They sailed west to Sri Lanka and India, and then back to Ormuz (on the Persian Gulf). They went northwest overland to the Black Sea, then the Mediterranean Sea, and back to Venice, Italy.

Marco Polo's travels from : Enchanted Learning.com

For more information on the Silk Road and Marco Polo, check out the following links
Silk Road

The Silk Road - the most well known trading route of ancient Chinese civilization. Trade in silk grew under the Han Dynasty (202 BC - AD 220) in the first and second centuries AD - Great picture here of the trade route

Marco Polo

Marco Polo & Korcula- the birthplace of Marco Polo - home page from home place of Marco Polo

Marco Polo and His Travels - extensive biography with pictures from the Silk Road Foundation

A-to-Z History - Marco Polo - an Italian trader and traveler, became famous for his travels in central Asia and China. He wrote a book that gave Europeans some of their earliest information about China, which was then called Cathay. Good information.