1421: Chapter 8

Upon greater research into the Chinese's exploration of Australia, he provides even more solid evidence. First, there was the Barrier Reef. This reef is enormous and spans a lot of Australian Coast. The entire reef was mapped in accuracy that almost rivals today's precision. All this occurred nearly 275 years before the first Europeans even saw Australia! However, these Chinese explorers were not just out to map uncharted territories, they were out to discover new riches. When they found Australia, they hit a gold mine... literally. Just like sailing, astronomy, and many other aspects of life, the Chinese were way ahead of everyone else when it came to mining. They actually figured out that certain plants grow over certain minerals. Imagine if that were known in America during the California Gold Rush. There would not have been all those people out there digging in random spots looking for something they would never find. Instead, miners could simply see what plants are growing where, and know exactly where to dig. The Chinese figured this out more than 400 years before the California Gold Rush! However, the sailors wanted more. So on their voyage back to China, they stopped in the Spice Islands and traded for even more goods to take home. This particular part of their trip greatly effected history. It was later discovered that Magellan had acquired a map revealing their course and actually followed it on his circumnavigation of the world. It is astounding how their greed has left such a mark on history. If they had not decided to follow that route, Magellan may have never made it, which it turn effects everyone to sail after him.