1520 : Magellan reaches the Pacific
After sailing through the dangerous straits below South America that
now bear his name, Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan enters the
Pacific Ocean with three ships, becoming the first European explorer
to reach the Pacific from the Atlantic.
On September 20, 1519, Magellan set sail from Spain in an effort to
find a western sea route to the rich Spice Islands of Indonesia. In
command of five ships and 270 men, Magellan sailed to West Africa and
then to Brazil, where he searched the South American coast for a
strait that would take him to the Pacific. He searched the Rio de la
Plata, a large estuary south of Brazil, for a way through; failing, he
continued south along the coast of Patagonia. At the end of March
1520, the expedition set up winter quarters at Port St. Julian. On
Easter day at midnight, the Spanish captains mutinied against their
Portuguese captain, but Magellan crushed the revolt, executing one of
the captains and leaving another ashore when his ship left St. Julian
in August.
On October 21, he finally discovered the strait he had been seeking.
The Strait of Magellan, as it became known, is located near the tip of
South America, separating Tierra del Fuego and the continental
mainland. Only three ships entered the passage; one had been wrecked
and another deserted. It took 38 days to navigate the treacherous
strait, and when ocean was sighted at the other end Magellan wept with
joy. His fleet accomplished the westward crossing of the ocean in 99
days, crossing waters so strangely calm that the ocean was named
"Pacific," from the Latin word pacificus, meaning "tranquil." By the
end, the men were out of food and chewed the leather parts of their
gear to keep themselves alive. On March 6, 1521, the expedition landed
at the island of Guam.
Ten days later, they dropped anchor at the Philippine island of
Cebu--they were only about 400 miles from the Spice Islands. Magellan
met with the chief of Cebu, who after converting to Christianity
persuaded the Europeans to assist him in conquering a rival tribe on
the neighboring island of Mactan. In fighting on April 27, Magellan
was hit by a poisoned arrow and left to die by his retreating
comrades.
After Magellan's death, the survivors, in two ships, sailed on to the
Moluccas and loaded the hulls with spice. One ship attempted,
unsuccessfully, to return across the Pacific. The other ship, the
Vittoria, continued west under the command of Basque navigator Juan
Sebastian de Elcano. The vessel sailed across the Indian Ocean,
rounded the Cape of Good Hope, and arrived at the Spanish port of
Sanlucar de Barrameda on September 6, 1522, becoming the first ship to
circumnavigate the globe.
history.com/tdih.do
General Interest
1520 : Magellan reaches the Pacific
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihVideoCategory&id=5555
1905 : Sinn Féin founded in Ireland
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=5556
1919 : Lady Astor becomes MP
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=7095
1994 : Jeffrey Dahmer murdered in prison
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=5557
#########################################
After sailing through the dangerous straits below South America that
now bear his name, Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan enters the
Pacific Ocean with three ships, becoming the first European explorer
to reach the Pacific from the Atlantic.
On September 20, 1519, Magellan set sail from Spain in an effort to
find a western sea route to the rich Spice Islands of Indonesia. In
command of five ships and 270 men, Magellan sailed to West Africa and
then to Brazil, where he searched the South American coast for a
strait that would take him to the Pacific. He searched the Rio de la
Plata, a large estuary south of Brazil, for a way through; failing, he
continued south along the coast of Patagonia. At the end of March
1520, the expedition set up winter quarters at Port St. Julian. On
Easter day at midnight, the Spanish captains mutinied against their
Portuguese captain, but Magellan crushed the revolt, executing one of
the captains and leaving another ashore when his ship left St. Julian
in August.
On October 21, he finally discovered the strait he had been seeking.
The Strait of Magellan, as it became known, is located near the tip of
South America, separating Tierra del Fuego and the continental
mainland. Only three ships entered the passage; one had been wrecked
and another deserted. It took 38 days to navigate the treacherous
strait, and when ocean was sighted at the other end Magellan wept with
joy. His fleet accomplished the westward crossing of the ocean in 99
days, crossing waters so strangely calm that the ocean was named
"Pacific," from the Latin word pacificus, meaning "tranquil." By the
end, the men were out of food and chewed the leather parts of their
gear to keep themselves alive. On March 6, 1521, the expedition landed
at the island of Guam.
Ten days later, they dropped anchor at the Philippine island of
Cebu--they were only about 400 miles from the Spice Islands. Magellan
met with the chief of Cebu, who after converting to Christianity
persuaded the Europeans to assist him in conquering a rival tribe on
the neighboring island of Mactan. In fighting on April 27, Magellan
was hit by a poisoned arrow and left to die by his retreating
comrades.
After Magellan's death, the survivors, in two ships, sailed on to the
Moluccas and loaded the hulls with spice. One ship attempted,
unsuccessfully, to return across the Pacific. The other ship, the
Vittoria, continued west under the command of Basque navigator Juan
Sebastian de Elcano. The vessel sailed across the Indian Ocean,
rounded the Cape of Good Hope, and arrived at the Spanish port of
Sanlucar de Barrameda on September 6, 1522, becoming the first ship to
circumnavigate the globe.
history.com/tdih.do
General Interest
1520 : Magellan reaches the Pacific
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihVideoCategory&id=5555
1905 : Sinn Féin founded in Ireland
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=5556
1919 : Lady Astor becomes MP
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=7095
1994 : Jeffrey Dahmer murdered in prison
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=5557
#########################################
No comments:
Post a Comment