1421: The Year China Discovered America

David Wallace gave us all the gift of a great debate on whether the Great Fleet of the Chinese Admiral, Cheng He---or some ships from it---reached the Americas early in the 15th century. One of his ships, the fabled Treasure Ship, was 444 feet long with nine masts, and the fleet as a whole was nautically way beyond what was sailing elsewhere.Some say the pattern of evidence is almost irrefutable that these 1400's ships from China brought to the Americas, particularly South America, many technologies and agricultural products we have attributed to the First Peoples. The evidence is indirect in early charts that can be interpreted to show a detailed knowledge of our coasts. Other evidence is genetic (DNA) similarities, as well as plants, agricultural practices, technologies, and some linguistic patterns. Putting this together with enthusiasm, passion, and argument makes for a fascinating book------but---but others, particularly academic scholars in fields such as biology, linguistics, cartography, and technology as enthusiastically, passionately, andt argumentatively disagree. They too have written a book.These books are available through Amazon. They have been reviewed, so I won't repeat here what's available through the book reviews.Wallace's splendid idea was a debate where each side could make its case with Wallace as the interviewer---not unlike a presidential debate---and some chance for refutations. The TV series has been made into a home video, "1421: The Year China Discovered America?"If you are fascinated by history, by the methods of historians, by sleuthing across centuries, and by the opportunities still flourishing for an amateur to think out of the box----you may play this video often each time seeing something new.I've read the books, but still found much new (or more clearly presented) in the series. It is GREAT family entertainment and family co-learning, too. So a big bowl of popcorn or whatever you like to munch, and enjoy.My only "complaint" is I would have liked more back-and-forth-and-back-and forth-and-back-and-forth but understand that probably was not practical for the video series format. (They did not convince each other, by the way...)

I want to believe that the Chineese were the first to be in the Americas.However, I do believe some of the evidence sited is suspect. IE thetower in Rhode Island.But the book sited things such as a rudder found in the Sacramento Riverin Califorina. I have not herd anything about this at any other time oron any other venue. Help me out and expand. Lets have this on the History Channel 4 or 6 times a week for awhile like every thing else onthat channel.

Did the Chinese discover America in 1421, a century before Columbus? Not only does the author believes so, but he also convincingly argues that the Chinese were the first to circumnavigate the world.The author argues that all great European navigators, such as Columbus and Magellan, had maps in their possession that already outlined the continents of North and South America, as well as Cape Horn, before they ever set sail there. This proves that someone else must have discovered those continents first. According to the author, it was the Chinese.During the Ming Dynasty, the Chinese emperor Zhu Di ordered a fleet of over one hundred ships, some 400 feet long (much bigger than the ships of Columbus) to be built for the purpose of both exploring and intimidating the world. A Muslim eunuch led the fleet.This is an exciting and very convincing tale.The author argues that many European explorers later said that they encountered Chinese settlers in both North and South America. DNA testing has shown that Indians in the Americas are very close in DNA to Chinese. Archaeological remains were found pointing to Chinese settlers in the Americas.However many scholars debate the author's theories due to the fact that not much evidence on these voyages comes from China. When the survivors of this great fleet returned to China, the Emperor had died, and the new Emperor, wanting to shield his empire from the outside world, ordered all documents relating to the discoveries of the fleet to be burned. All maps and logs of the fleet were burnt!Also, if the Chinese did visit the Americas first, they would have infected the indigenous population with disease such as the flu, which would have wiped out a big percentage of the population, but would also have immunized the later generations against infectious diseases when the Europeans finally came. This of course did not happen.Why did the Chinese not visit Europe on their way to the Americas? This is a puzzling fact. There are also no European record of the Chinese fleet.The DVD is worth watching and is very entertaining and informative. This is a compelling theory, and the book reads like a novel. If the author's theories are proven correct, then history will have to be rewritten. I highly recommend it.

Because it was written by a retired submarine commander, he has a unique perspective, having a knowledge of what a navel commander sees on a map (as opposed to a historian). He also had a perspective from his periscope similar to what ancient mariners would see, and a perspective underwater what coastlines would look like with different historic sea levels.

Delighted to find this video about the controversial book 1421. I will be using it to lead a book discussion for my reading group. The views presented are perfect for discussing the book

Loved it because it challenged my traditional thinking that was instilled on me from elementary/middle/highschool. I'm not a historian but the book makes some compelling points.

it's ok.

Great production Faithfully reproduced the materials from the 400 plus page book. More pleasant use of time than ploughing through the full-length book, unless you want to follow all the details.

I happened to visit the Zheng He museum in Malacca, Malaysia, two weeks ago and found the place an absolute must. There I also viewed the video and found it excellent. Hopefully it will soon be available in other formats so everybody can enjoy it without reconfiguring their DVD drive for zone 1.

I did enjoy Gavin Menzies' discovery of the world by the chinese (The book). Unfortunately the Americans in their normal fashion chose to ignore the big picture and made this show in their usual insular way. It is a fascinating work and makes one think and is very well done.Being a retired ships' Captain I can see where Gavin is comming from.I never understood how in Malacca there is so little history prior to the British. Great but 5 stars for the full story.