World History Minute: The Voyages Of Zheng He

By Worldview
A map from one of Zheng He’s missions. It’s also known as the Mao Kun map.
A map from one of Zheng He's missions. It's also known as the Mao Kun map. Wikimedia Commons
A map from one of Zheng He’s missions. It’s also known as the Mao Kun map.
A map from one of Zheng He's missions. It's also known as the Mao Kun map. Wikimedia Commons

World History Minute: The Voyages Of Zheng He

By Worldview
WBEZ brings you fact-based news and information. Sign up for our newsletters to stay up to date on the stories that matter.

Most of us are familiar with explorers like Christopher Columbus or Magellan or other Europeans that set out to reach East Asia.  But East Asia also had explorers who travelled in the other direction. 

For today’s World History Minute, Historian John Schmidt recalls the voyages of the Zheng He. He set out on his first trip on July 11, 1405.