Ferdinand Magellan (1480-1521) (W6:D3)

Born into Portuguese nobility, Magellan became a page to Queen Eleanor. By the age of 25, he was ready for a new career in exploration and merchantry. He joined a fleet heading to India, and spent nearly 8 years fighting in many naval battles, including against the Sultans of Gujarat and Egypt. He then traveled with his cousin, Francisco Serrão, to the Portuguese Embassy in Malacca, until conspiracies arose. For their safety, they disembarked from the city-state. After that, the cousins parted ways. Magellan was promoted, returning to Portugal, and Serrão left for the Spice Islands, to advise the Sultan. Due to false claims made against Magellan, and some vacation that was not authorized, his promotion and employment was terminated. He moved to Spain and married, having two children, but only a few years later, they had all died. During this sad time in his life, he devoted his time to cartography, the study of map making. He wanted to go back to the Spice Islands, but King Manuel of Portugal denied his request continuously. So, he turned to the new King of Spain, who was given permission by the Pope to explore the Americas, under the Treaty of Tordesillas. King Charles I gave him 5 ships, 270 men, and enough provisions for 2 years on the open sea. Setting sail on September 20, 1519, and arriving - in what is now Brazil - in December, they continued down the coast moving south. Thinking they may have to travel through the continent, they searched for 3 months for any river that would allow them access to the Pacific Ocean. They made landfall near Rio de Janeiro. The weather was getting too rough, and they needed a place to wait out the winter. Some of his crew turned mutinous, started by three of his four captains who questioned Magellan’s abilities and tactics. These captains were killed during and after the struggle, and the lower conspirators were put into bondage. During that winter, one ship was lost, but its crew survived. They started their journey again, with only 4 ships, in October of 1520 – the Southern Hemisphere’s summer season. Within a few days, they reached a bay that led them to what is now known as the Straits of Magellan, at the very southern tip of South America. At this point, one of his ships abandoned the effort and sailed back to Spain. The remaining three entered the Strait and found the Pacific Ocean, near the end of November 1520. Believing the journey would take only a matter of days or weeks, it actually took 3 months and 21 days - and 30 men died of scurvy and starvation. They made landfall in Guam first, where they were given supplies by the indigenous people. Villagers came aboard and took knives, rigging, and nets, in exchange for the supplies, but the Spanish took this as theft, and sent a raiding party into their village to retrieve the supplies that were stolen. Villagers were killed, and huts burned. This miscommunication made them leave the island quickly, and head towards the Philippines. Here, Magellan befriended many of the local leaders and sent missionaries to teach the people. Many converted, but the island of Mactan resisted and the Spanish became forceful, which started a battle. Though the Spanish were well trained, the Mactan were more in number, and many Spaniards were killed - including Magellan. Activity #2, Part #1: Map Making – Below is a map of the world. Your job is to chart a path to travel around the world. Unlike Magellan, you will know the world map and where you can stop for supplies. Magellan, on the other hand, had to experience his travels as if blindfolded. To experience this blindness, place your pen on the coast of Spain. Take a piece of paper and cover the rest of the globe, west of Spain. As you move the paper left, chart the path you would sail. This is the path you would travel, being ignorant of where you would make land. When you reach the furthest point to the left of the map, move your pen to the far right of the map, about where you would have ended your journey - on the left side of the map - and put the same piece of paper over the rest of the map. Move the paper as you draw your line across the Pacific Ocean and back to Spain. Part #2: Now, without the blindfold, chart a journey that would make the most sense to you, if you were to travel around the world. Stay close to land when possible, so you can pick up supplies. Use two different colored pens to chart these two directions. Part #3: Was it hard to chart the map when you were blindfolded? What do you think Magellan would have experienced? _______________________________________________________________________________________

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