UNCHARTED TERRITORY WEEK: Magellan

TITLE: Who Was Ferdinand Magellan?

AUTHOR: S. A. Kramer

WHAT TERRITORY WAS EXPLORED AND WHEN? It took awhile, from 1519 to 1522, but this was the first time a route around the circumference of the globe was sailed.

WHO DID THE EXPLORING? Portuguese born Ferdinand Magellan convinced King Charles I of Spain to supply him with five ships, supplies for two years and a crew of about 250 men so he could sail west and find the elusive route to the Spice Islands.

HOW WAS THE TRIP? Magellan overcame many obstacles... mutiny attempts, storms at sea, endless days of no wind, a supply ship that deserted him, a hard to find passage to the Pacific Ocean, a wrecked ship, a Pacific Ocean that was far wider than imagined, and rampant starvation and scurvy among his crew. After all of that he met his end in the Philippines where he was killed by a band of angry natives. Lacking it's fearless leader, one of the five original vessels limped back to Spain with eighteen souls on board.

WHAT WAS GAINED? A boat load of spices for Spain and knowledge of the size of the world and a better understanding of it's geography. This opened the door for more trade and exploration.

We like this Who Was....? series! I have also reviewed: Who Was Amelia Earhart? and Who Was Leonardo da Vinci?

Ages 9-12
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Activity: How well do you know him? Test your Magellan knowledge here.