Explorations
Ferdinand Magellan's first sea voyage was in 1505. Magellan's expedition was the first to sail from Atlantic into Pacific and was the first to cross the Pacific Ocean. This expedition proved that the world was round and not flat. Magellan was influenced by his predecessor Columbus to sail west
On August 10, 1519, Magellan and his crew left Seville, Spain with 5 ships (Victoria, Trinidad, San Antonio , Concepcion, and Santiago) in search of the Spice Islands. Magellan was on the Trinidad. Magellan wanted to explore for an all water passage to the Spice Islands by sailing west from Spain. Magellan reached the equator on February 13, 1521. Magellan never reached the Spice Islands, (he had died in battle) but his crew did in November of 1521. However, only two of the original ships were left and 115 crew members. After the crew traded in the Spice Islands, they attempted the trip back to Spain by going west. One ship took on water, leaving only the Victoria to make it back to Spain. Much of the crew at the point died from starvation, as they only had rice to eat. The ship stopped at the Cape Verde Islands which belonged to Portugal because Elcano, the captain at this point, thought they would not make it back to Spain. On September 6th, 1522 the Victoria reached Spain, thus proving that the world was in fact round, not flat. This was a very significant discovery for the world. It encouraged many other explorers to sail west. The discovery of the world being round contributed to the change of how maps were seen and they were changed to now show the globe. He also discovered the Strait of Magellan which is directly south of mainland South America.
On August 10, 1519, Magellan and his crew left Seville, Spain with 5 ships (Victoria, Trinidad, San Antonio , Concepcion, and Santiago) in search of the Spice Islands. Magellan was on the Trinidad. Magellan wanted to explore for an all water passage to the Spice Islands by sailing west from Spain. Magellan reached the equator on February 13, 1521. Magellan never reached the Spice Islands, (he had died in battle) but his crew did in November of 1521. However, only two of the original ships were left and 115 crew members. After the crew traded in the Spice Islands, they attempted the trip back to Spain by going west. One ship took on water, leaving only the Victoria to make it back to Spain. Much of the crew at the point died from starvation, as they only had rice to eat. The ship stopped at the Cape Verde Islands which belonged to Portugal because Elcano, the captain at this point, thought they would not make it back to Spain. On September 6th, 1522 the Victoria reached Spain, thus proving that the world was in fact round, not flat. This was a very significant discovery for the world. It encouraged many other explorers to sail west. The discovery of the world being round contributed to the change of how maps were seen and they were changed to now show the globe. He also discovered the Strait of Magellan which is directly south of mainland South America.