Yuan dynasty · 1271-1295

Marco Polo: the road to Kublai Khan

In 1271 a 17-year-old Venetian set out with his father and uncle for the court of Kublai Khan. Students follow Marco Polo's journey on the map, look at Yuan China through his eyes and ask how far we can trust his famous book.

Teach it live New Open on the map
Length
45 minutes
Ages
10–13
On the map
3 steps, AD 1271 to AD 1275
Live lesson
7 rounds, 3 on the map
Worksheet
Two A4 pages, with Classroom
You need
A projector; phones for live

Live lesson · new in Classroom

Teach it live. The class answers on their phones.

Put the board on the projector. Students join with a six-digit code, no account needed, and tap the map: where was the frontier, where did the grain come from. Their pins drop in together when you reveal, and the closest student takes the round.

€19 per month: every lesson live, every worksheet, cancel anytime. Rome at its height runs live for free.

A live lesson on the projector: the class's pins on the map around Alexandria, the closest students listed beside it A student's phone: the question and a map to tap
7 rounds
3 places to find on the map, quiz questions, a class vote and a one-line answer.
About 15 minutes
Run it as the map step, or to open the discussion. You move on with the space bar.
A report
Every answer, per student and per round, to read back or print after the lesson.
1

Introduction

5 min

Read aloud

In 1271 a 17-year-old Venetian set out with his father and uncle for the court of Kublai Khan. Students follow Marco Polo's journey on the map, look at Yuan China through his eyes and ask how far we can trust his famous book.

By the end of the lesson, students can

  • Trace Marco Polo's route to China and back on the map.
  • Describe three things Marco Polo reported about Yuan China.
  • Evaluate a travel account as a historical source, including its weak points.
2

Explore the map

12 min

Project the map, or let students follow on their own devices. Each step opens the map at the right year and place.

a

AD 1271

Play the journey

Click Stories at the top left and start the Marco Polo journey. Follow it from Venice. Which parts of the trip go over land, and which by sea?

Open this view on the map
b

AD 1274

Along the Silk Road

Open the map in 1274, turn on Trade Routes and find Kashgar. How closely does the Polos' route follow the Silk Road line on the map?

Open this view on the map
c

AD 1275

Arrival in China

Jump to 1275 and turn on Historical Events. Find the marker for Marco Polo's arrival in China. Whose empire is he in, and how big is it?

Open this view on the map
3

Class discussion

14 min

Pick two or three. They run from what happened to why it mattered.

  1. Marco Polo was 17 when he left Venice. What do you think he expected to find?
  2. Kublai Khan gave important jobs to foreigners. Why might he trust a young Venetian?
  3. Marco described paper money and black stones that burn (coal). Why did many Europeans find this hard to believe?
  4. Some historians doubt parts of his story because he never mentions tea or Chinese writing. Does that prove he was not in China?
  5. His book later inspired explorers such as Columbus. How can one book change history?
4

Game round

9 min

Play Rule History as Genghis Khan, the grandfather of Kublai Khan, whom Marco Polo served. Let students take turns making rulings. Then discuss: why did the Mongol khans welcome foreign travellers and give them jobs?

Open Rule History
5

Worksheet

5 min

This worksheet comes with Classroom

€19 per month unlocks every worksheet, every live lesson and the class workspace. The free lesson prints without a subscription.