Every claim is expected to have evidence with which the claim-maker persuades people to believe his or her beliefs. This also applies to the claim made by Gavin Menzies, the author of 1421: The Year China Discovered America, arguing in his book that Zheng He's discovery of America precedes that of Christopher Columbus. Throughout the book, Gavin Menzies constantly attempts to convince the readers with a haphazard collection of speculative evidence. Although the book follows the principle of providing evidence to a claim, it ultimately fails to develop them into corroboration. In order for an individual to quarrel over an history that has been accepted for 500 years, that individual should count on solid evidence, not conjecture. Thus, Gavin Menzies' claim should not be accepted to any significant extent unless it is meticulously corroborated.
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