Before Europeans explored the Indian Ocean and the coasts of Africa, the Chinese had explored the east coast of Africa and perhaps even doubled the Cape of Good Hope. However, China’s period of exploration ended abruptly when:
A) An oracle counseled against it B) Ming emperors prohibited foreign trade ü C) They lost a series of battles to the Portuguese D) A huge storm sank most of their ships
From 1405 to 1433, the great Chinese admiral Cheng Ho explored the Indian ocean, bringing back tribute and exotic treasures to the Chinese court. He is even said to have brought back a giraffe from Africa. Cheng Ho’s ‘treasure ships’ were Chinese junks, five times the size of Portuguese caravels.
