▶ Your Answer :
Both
the reading and the lecturer discuss “1421 hypothesis” by Gavin Menzies that
Chinese sailors reached the Americas before Columbus did in 1492. While the
reading states supporting details of this hypothesis, the lecturer contradicts
it.
To
begin with, the reading suggests Chinese maps as evidence to its claim that
Chinese showed great understanding and skill already before Columbus. The
lecturer, however, argues that it is entirely meaningless to insist the Chinese
as the first one who reached the America, since Northern Europe explores had
already discovered its presence 500 years before both the Chinese and Columbus.
Next, the reading mentions although there are
few historical documents left in China, Menzies was able to find which supports
his ideas. The lecturer casts doubt on this point that the documents and
artifacts that Menzies suggested to support his claims are often misinterpreted
or interpreted in a loose manner. Thus, he says that Menzies had taken these
and twisted them as he likes to illustrate his points.
Lastly, the reading states that Menzies
connected his claim about Chinese arrival at the America continent with many
historical oddities such as shipwrecks in the Caribbean. The lecturer points
out that there are lots of oddities and artifacts survived and most had already
been recovered and researched before by many historians, but none of them had
reached to Menzies’ conclusion. According to him, this fact shows Menzies’
conclusion is just a nonsense. |