Notes

Colin O’Leary
Mrs. Warren
Honors World Studies
11/13/2018

Magellan vs Zheng He DBQ Essay

The age of global encounters introduced many new trade routes and increased contact between foreign countries. Zheng He was a Chinese mariner and diplomat who lived from 1371 to 1433 in the Ming Dynasty. Originally referred to as Ma He, he was given the name Zheng He by Zhu Di, the Yongle Emperor who was the third leader in the Ming Dynasty, which lasted from 1368 BCE to 1644 BCE in China. Zheng He led seven expeditions to expand trade and respect for China, and was known for his skilled navigation and large fleet of ships. Ferdinand Magellan, an explorer for Spain, set sail to discover a western route to the Spice Islands. Magellan was the first European to cross the Pacific, and was known for his attempt to circumnavigate the world. He was unsuccessful in this journey, but his crew managed to complete the trip. Zheng He was a superior captain to Ferdinand Magellan because he was able to control a larger number of people, he managed to navigate larger ships, and he developed more positive relations with foreign countries.

Zheng He was able to manage a much larger number of crew members than Magellan. The amount of crew members onboard, in addition to the various jobs held by the crew were a cause of difficulty during Zheng He’s expeditions. Due to the size and amount of Zheng He’s ships, he was required to control and watch a large number of crew members who had varying needs based on their jobs. Document D, Zheng He’s Fleet by the Numbers, lists occupational statistics and the amount of the crew members on board the 62 treasure ships, and the 193 tender ships. On board these ships, no less than nineteen different occupations were present (Document D). The large amount of ships and crew members was a very important factor in the difficulty of Zheng He’s journeys. Without the invention of the telephone, communication between multiple ships was a great challenge, and the information being shared between these ships could be skewed or misinterpreted. Incorrect information could cause mass panic or create an obstacle for the expedition. Zheng He’s ability to sustain control over these ships supports his ability to navigate under tense conditions. In addition to limited communication, Zheng He was also required to control a crew with a wide range of jobs. In order for Zheng He to successfully control people of different occupations, he had to have an understanding of these jobs and the basic rules behind them. While learning the rules of these jobs would take a lot of effort and determination, it also suggests that Zheng He was highly experienced. Since he understood the jobs of these crew members, he could successfully control and reprimand the workers. Zheng He’s ability to keep control of a large crew of those with different jobs suggests that he was highly experienced and skilled in his journeys. Ferdinand Magellan, however, was less skilled in communication than Zheng He. Document H, the journal of a crewmember named the “Genoese Pilot” found in 1520, gives details of Magellan’s difficulty. The Genoese Pilot shares his experience, writing, “In this port three of the ships rose up against the Captain-Major [Magellan], their captains saying that they intended to take him to Castile [Spain] in arrest, and he was taking them all to destruction.” (Document H). Magellan’s ships, which were smaller in size, made communication throughout the crew much easier. Although Magellan could easily communicate between his ships, he did not utilize this to effectively state his intentions. Due to the confusion between the crew, there were conflicting ideas and opinions on Magellan. If he had used the easy communication to his advantage, his crew would have understood his plan, aiding Magellan in his journey. As opposed to Magellan, Zheng He was able to effectively overcome this difficulty and communicate with his crew.

In terms of navigation, Zheng He was able to successfully travel long distances in larger vessels than Magellan. In contrast to Magellan, who was only given five small ships by the Spanish government, Zheng He controlled multiple ships that were much larger in length. Not only was the amount of ships a difficulty, but the length of Zheng He’s ships also made navigation harder. When the length of a ship increases, the turn radius also increases. Document B, titled When China Ruled the Seas by Louise Levathes, shows that Zheng He’s ships were far larger than Magellan’s, spanning around 240 feet greater in length. (Document B). Since Zheng He’s ships were longer, he had to find specific paths that were suitable for these ships. The paths navigated by Zheng He were less optimal and caused longer trips, however he was still able to navigate them. Magellan, however, had shorter ships, meaning he could travel on the easier and shorter paths. This suggests that Magellan did not have to be as skilled or experienced in navigation, since the size of his ships was not a problem. Even though Magellan did not experience this difficulty, he still struggled in his journeys. Document G, a map showcasing the voyage of Magellan shows the specific events which occured during Magellan’s voyage. Magellan’s ships barely returned home, only one ship making it all the way back. This ship still struggled to return home, only holding eighteen crew members (Document G). Magellan was not able to navigate all the way home, leaving only one ship despite the small and manageable size of his ships. Magellan also did not effectively prepare for this voyage, most of the crew dying by starvation. Despite the increased size of Zheng He’s ships, he was still able to successfully navigate to his destination. This is in contrast to Magellan, who had much smaller ships, however he was still unable to successfully travel.

Not only did Zheng He increase trade throughout the Indian Ocean, he also developed positive relations with the natives of foreign countries. One of Zheng He’s purposes of expedition was to spread the pride of China. To do this, he had to gain the trust and respect from other countries. Document E lists the tributes sent back to China from the countries visited by Zheng He. Many different countries had sent gifts including food, animals, and other products back to China as tribute to Zheng He’s expeditions (Document E). Zheng He’s ability to create peace with other countries during his voyages positively adds to his skill as an explorer. Positive relations improved the image of China, which was one of his main goals. These relations also improved the welfare and economy of China, since these foreign countries were exporting gifts to China. These countries sent plants and animals that were not native to China, so the agriculture and farms had grown from these imports. Zheng He also increased the trust for China, which is important when looking for allies in times of war. China gained many new allies from his journeys. Ferdinand Magellan was much less intelligent with foreigners. Document J, an excerpt from the journal of Antonio Pigafetta, states, “We fought for more than an hour, until an Indian succeeded in thrusting a cane lance into the captain’s face,” (Document J). This document shows the inability of Magellan to create a positive relationship. Magellan’s only goal was to spread Christianity, so when the Indians did not give in, he resorted to violence. This violence spread a negative image of Spain to foreigners, which could have lowered their amount of allies. Magellan’s inability to create peace was a very negative aspect of his skills. Compared to Magellan, Zheng He created many more benefits for his country through exploration.

Overall, both Zheng He and Ferdinand Magellan intended to improve their country of loyalty through exploration. However, Zheng He showed his superiority to Magellan in the process of completing this task. Zheng He successfully overcame more difficulties, navigated larger ships, and created more positive relations with foreign countries during his journeys. Zheng He and Ferdinand Magellan were both early explorers who were very skilled in their craft. The difference in strategy of these two explorers and the effect of these strategies helps the modern day historian understand how these explorers tried to expand their countries. This knowledge could show the difference between peaceful and hostile strategies.