Read the document you have been assigned and answer the following questions:
1. What is Marco Polo describing?
2. What insights can you gain into Chinese society or culture?
3. What is Marco Polo's perspective? What are his goals in this excerpt?
Report out to your group and discuss Marco Polo and his trip to the court of Kublai Khan
• Khubilai Khan's Palace: "Concerning The Palace of the Great Khan"
• Cambaluc (Beijing): "Concerning The City of Cambaluc"
• Lifestyle: "The Fashion of The Great Khan's Table at His High Feasts"
• System of Governing: "Twelve Barons Who Are Set Over All the Affairs of The Great Khan"
• Taxes: "The Great Yearly Revenue The Great Khan Receives From Hangchow"
• Suzhou (Soochow): "On the Noble City of Soochow"
• Hangzhou: "Description of the Great City of Kinsay (Hangchow)"
http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/mongols/pop/menu/class_marco.htm
