The man seen here was The man seen here was one of the greatest one of the greatest explorers of all time. explorers of all time. His name was His name was Ferdinand Magellan. He Ferdinand Magellan. He was the person who was the person who planned and led one of planned and led one of the most dangerous the most dangerous and deadly expeditions and deadly expeditions in history–the first in history–the first voyage around the voyage around the world.world.

He was born in the year He was born in the year 1480 in the tiny kingdom of 1480 in the tiny kingdom of Portugal in a small town Portugal in a small town that lies far off in the distant that lies far off in the distant hills. Magellan was born hills. Magellan was born during a time when the during a time when the world was just starting to world was just starting to be explored by men in be explored by men in sailing ships.sailing ships.

Magellan was only eight Magellan was only eight years old, when explorers years old, when explorers from Portugal became the from Portugal became the first Europeans to reach first Europeans to reach the southern tip of Africa.the southern tip of Africa.

ColumbusColumbus

Vasco da GamaVasco da Gama

In 1513 Magellan asked In 1513 Magellan asked King Manuel of Portugal King Manuel of Portugal for permission to sail to for permission to sail to the Spice Islands. His the Spice Islands. His best maps convinced him best maps convinced him that he could sail to the that he could sail to the Spice Islands by going Spice Islands by going around the southern tip of around the southern tip of South America. He South America. He thought that this route thought that this route would be shorter than would be shorter than eastward to the southern eastward to the southern tip of Africa & across the tip of Africa & across the Indian Ocean. Indian Ocean.

KING CHARLES IKING CHARLES I

In 1517, Magellan In 1517, Magellan traveled to Spain to the traveled to Spain to the palace of king, Charles palace of king, Charles the Firstthe First and convinced and convinced king, that his country king, that his country could get richer if it could get richer if it could find a better trade could find a better trade route to Asia. And the route to Asia. And the king decided to give him king decided to give him everything he needed to everything he needed to sail around the world.sail around the world.

1517Martin Luther

Breaks Away From The Catholic Church Starts Protestant Religion

1518

1519

New WorldNative People Die From Diseases

Carried Across Atlantic By Europeans.

Hernando Cortezleft on an expedition that

destroyed the Aztec kingdom

September 20, 1519 Magellan’s ships, 241 men,

headed into the Atlantic to sail around the world

Magellan's ships, 1519Magellan's ships, 1519

Ship Ship TonnageTonnageCrewmen: Crewmen:

234   234  

TrinidadTrinidad 110   110   55   55  

San AntonioSan Antonio 120   120   60   60  

Concepcion Concepcion 90   90   45   45  

VictoriaVictoria 85   85   42   42  

SantiagoSantiago 75   75   32   32  

Meanwhile, only seven months later, in Meanwhile, only seven months later, in this shallow harbor in southern Spain, this shallow harbor in southern Spain, Magellan could be found checking over Magellan could be found checking over each of his five ships one last time.each of his five ships one last time.

King Manuel ordered a naval King Manuel ordered a naval detachment to pursue Ferdinand detachment to pursue Ferdinand Magellan, but Magellan avoided the Magellan, but Magellan avoided the Portuguese. After stopping at the Portuguese. After stopping at the Canary Islandss, Ferdinand Canary Islandss, Ferdinand Magellan arrived at the Cape Verde Magellan arrived at the Cape Verde Islands, where they set course for Islands, where they set course for Cape St. Augustine in Brazil. On Cape St. Augustine in Brazil. On November 20, they crossed the November 20, they crossed the equator; on December 6, the crew equator; on December 6, the crew sighted Brazil.sighted Brazil.

Brazil was Portuguese territory, Magellan avoided it, and on December 13 anchored near present-day Rio de Janeiro. The crew was resupplied, but good conditions caused them to delay.

They sailed south They sailed south along South along South America's east coast, America's east coast, looking for the strait looking for the strait that Magellan that Magellan believed would lead believed would lead to the Spice Islands. to the Spice Islands. The fleet reached Río The fleet reached Río de la Plata on de la Plata on January 10, 1520.January 10, 1520.

SantiagoSantiago, sent down the coast on a , sent down the coast on a scouting expedition, was wrecked in scouting expedition, was wrecked in a sudden storm. All of its a sudden storm. All of its crewmembers survived and made it crewmembers survived and made it safely to shore. Two of them safely to shore. Two of them returned, overland, to inform returned, overland, to inform Magellan of what had happened, and Magellan of what had happened, and bring rescue to their comrades. After bring rescue to their comrades. After this experience, Magellan decided to this experience, Magellan decided to wait for a few weeks more before wait for a few weeks more before again resuming the voyage.again resuming the voyage.

The Straits of Magellan cut through the southern The Straits of Magellan cut through the southern tip of South America connecting the Atlantic and tip of South America connecting the Atlantic and Pacific. At 52°S latitude on August 24, 1520, the Pacific. At 52°S latitude on August 24, 1520, the fleet reached Cape Virgenes and concluded they fleet reached Cape Virgenes and concluded they had found the passage, because the waters were had found the passage, because the waters were brine and deep inland.brine and deep inland.

• Four ships began the 373-mile long passage that Four ships began the 373-mile long passage that Magellan called the ("All Saints' Channel"), Magellan called the ("All Saints' Channel"), because the fleet traveled through it on November because the fleet traveled through it on November 1–All Saints' Day. 1–All Saints' Day.

Pacific OceanPacific Ocean

On November 28, the three On November 28, the three remaining ships entered the remaining ships entered the South Pacific. Magellan named South Pacific. Magellan named the waters the Pacific Ocean the waters the Pacific Ocean because of its stillness.because of its stillness.

They sailed for three months They sailed for three months without seeing any land except without seeing any land except for two uninhabited islands while for two uninhabited islands while the sailors grew afraid and the sailors grew afraid and worried about starving. The worried about starving. The water was too bad to drink and water was too bad to drink and the sailors became sick with the sailors became sick with scurvy. To keep from dying, they scurvy. To keep from dying, they had to eat the rats that lived on had to eat the rats that lived on the ships, as well as leather the ships, as well as leather hides and even sawdust.hides and even sawdust.

During these long months at sea, During these long months at sea, nineteen crewmembers died.nineteen crewmembers died.

Early March of 1521, they reached the Early March of 1521, they reached the tropical island we now know astropical island we now know asGuam. Here they found enough fresh Guam. Here they found enough fresh water and food to carry them as far water and food to carry them as far as the islands now called the as the islands now called the Philippines.Philippines.

In the Philippines, it wasn’t long before a horrible In the Philippines, it wasn’t long before a horrible thing happened, because Magellan and many of his thing happened, because Magellan and many of his sailors were killed in a terrible battle between two sailors were killed in a terrible battle between two native tribes.native tribes.

Only 110 men were still Only 110 men were still alive, and, only two alive, and, only two ships out of the three ships out of the three that remained could be that remained could be taken when they left to taken when they left to find the Spice Islands. find the Spice Islands. The explorers weren’t The explorers weren’t very far from the Spice very far from the Spice Islands, they got lost Islands, they got lost after sailing in the after sailing in the wrong direction, but, wrong direction, but, after turning around, after turning around, they finally got there.they finally got there.

In the Spice Islands, the In the Spice Islands, the ships were loaded with ships were loaded with spices. The explorers spices. The explorers decided that one ship, decided that one ship, the Trinidad, should try the Trinidad, should try to get to the Spanish to get to the Spanish colony of Panama by colony of Panama by sailing east back sailing east back across the Pacific across the Pacific Ocean while the other Ocean while the other ship, the Victoria, ship, the Victoria, should sail west across should sail west across the Indian Ocean, the Indian Ocean, around Africa and on to around Africa and on to Europe.Europe.

Early in September of Early in September of the year 1522, the the year 1522, the Victoria finally made it Victoria finally made it to Europe, when it to Europe, when it sailed into the Spanish sailed into the Spanish harbor it had left from harbor it had left from almost three years almost three years before. And, by then, before. And, by then, only 18 men were still only 18 men were still left alive out of the 241 left alive out of the 241 who had begun the who had begun the expedition.expedition.

And even though the great And even though the great explorer Magellan never explorer Magellan never lived to see this day, the few lived to see this day, the few that survived had managed that survived had managed to do what no one had ever to do what no one had ever done before: they had sailed done before: they had sailed about 50,000 miles or 83,000 about 50,000 miles or 83,000 kilometers, all the way kilometers, all the way around the world, and they around the world, and they not only proved that Asia not only proved that Asia could be reached by sailing could be reached by sailing west from Europe, they had west from Europe, they had also proven for the first time also proven for the first time in history that the world is in history that the world is round!round!

FerdinaFerdinand nd

MagellaMagellann

Video QuizVideo Quiz

Exploring the World: Exploring the World: Ferdinand Magellan and the Ferdinand Magellan and the

First Voyage Around the First Voyage Around the World. United Learning. 2000. World. United Learning. 2000. unitedstreaming. 6 April 2006 unitedstreaming. 6 April 2006

<http://www.unitedstreaming.com/> <http://www.unitedstreaming.com/>

Gander Academy Ferdinand MagellanGander Academy Ferdinand Magellan

Explores of the Millennium

Think Quest Library

Fact Index

Victory Cruises

Create for MississippiCreate for Mississippi