Book

Menzies, Gavin.

1421 : the year China discovered America / Gavin Menzies.

First U.S. edition

[New York, NY] : William Morrow, 2003.

xix, 552 pages, 32 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations (some color), maps ; 25 cm

This volume presents the author's assertion that the fleets of Chinese Admiral Zheng visited the Americas prior to European explorer Christopher Columbus in 1492, and that this same Chinese fleet circumnavigated the globe a century before the expedition of Ferdinand Magellan. The author presents a series of vignettes describing his travels around the globe, examining what he claims is evidence for his "1421 hypothesis", interspersed with speculation and description of the achievements of Admiral Zheng's fleet.

"A remarkable journey of discovery that rewrites our understanding of history"--Jacket.

Discoveries in geography -- Chinese.

Voyages around the world.

China -- History -- Ming dynasty, 1368-1644.

Year China discovered America

Fourteen twenty-one

"This book was originally published in Great Britain in 2002 by Transworld Publishers"--Title page verso.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 509-536) and index.

List of maps and diagrams -- List of plates -- Chinese nomenclature -- Acknowledgments -- Introduction -- The Emperor's grand plan -- A thunderbolt strikes -- The fleets set sail -- The guiding stars -- Rounding the Cape -- The New World -- The voyage of Hong Bao -- Voyage to Antarctica and Australia -- The voyage of Zhou Man -- Australia -- The Barrier Reef and the Spice Islands -- The first colony in the Americas -- Colonies in Central America -- The voyage of Zhou Wen -- Satan's Island -- The treasure fleet runs aground -- Settlement in North America -- Expedition to the North Pole -- The voyage of Yang Qing -- Solving the riddle -- Portugal inherits the crown -- Where the earth ends -- Colonizing the New World -- On the shoulders of giants -- Epilogue : the Chinese legacy -- Postscript -- Chinese circumnavigation of the world, 1421-3 : index of supporting evidence -- Eyewitness diaries -- Key charts describing the first navigation of the world -- The determination of longitude -- Further information on website -- Notes -- Select bibliography -- Index.

2004556241

9780060537630

9780061564895

0061564893

0965731286

9780965731287

0060537639

51318605

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910.951 Menzies