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Marco Polo was an Italian merchant from the city of Venice. He was a traveller and spent 17 years of his life in China. He was one of the most famous westerners to travel the silk road, Which linked the west with the east to the riches of Asia.
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Zheng He was an early explorer who expanded the Chinese Tribute System. He was born in 1317 in Yunnan, China. He was put in charge of a fleet of more than 200 ships and they sailed around southern Asia.
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Filippo Brunelleschi was a Italian self-taught genius who made some ground-breaking discoveries. He was patroned by the Medici family. Under the Medici's he created and discovered amazing things such as perspective and the Brunelleschi dome in Florence.
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Cosimo de' Medici was born on September 27, 1389, in Florence, Italy. He was a part of the Medici Banks and was the wealthiest man of his time.
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Sandro Botticelli was an Italian artist patroned by the Medici. He was born in Florence. He painted many famous works such as Primavera, The Birth of Venus, Venus and Mars, and Madonna of the Magnificant.
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Colombus was an early explorer who discovered The New World. He was Italian, but sailed for Spanish. In 1492 he set sail in search of a quicker route to spice islands, but instead he reached The New World. He claimed all of the Carribean islands he landed on for Spain, and forced the natives to work as slaves and find gold.
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Da Vinci was a Italian inventor who made many discoveries and paintings. One of his famous works was the Mona Lisa which is on display in Paris. Leonardo moved to Florence when he was 12 years old. Da Vinci was patroned by the Medici Family.
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Vasco da Gama was a Portugese explorer who was commissioned by the Portuguese king to find a sea route to the East. He suceeded, and his success proved to be one of the most important moments in the history of navigation.
