This is Angela O'Dell and you are listening to real cool history for kids.

A podcast show featuring history told from a distinctly biblical worldview perspective.

Welcome to an adventure.

Welcome to episode 129 of real cool history for kids.

This episode is for Mary By, who wanted to hear the story of Marco Polo. Hi Mary, this one's for you.

All throughout history, there have been adventurers who have traveled into little known

or completely unknown places.

Some of these adventurous people have explored because of curiosity,

but most have done so because they were in search of something, some type of treasure, or even a better life.

The subject of our story today is one of the most well known exploring

adventurers and history. But before we begin a story, let's set a backdrop for it. Some time ago I told you the stories of Richard

the Lionheart and of Robin Hood. Those two men lived during a time called the High Middle Ages, which spanned the centuries

between 1,000 and 1300 AD.

Well, Marco Polo also lived in this time period.

At that time, there were dangerous trade routes between Europe and the West and the Orient in the East.

The Orient was made up of India, China, Japan,

and the area that is now Russia.

Of course, it included all of the islands in and around that area also.

The Orient was rich and all kinds of goods that the Western people like to acquire through trade.

At this point in history, there were very few well-known water passageways for people to sail

around Africa and up to the Orient on the other side, so they

had to travel through those dangerous land routes.

...