The first circumnavigation
Five ships set out, one comes home
See it on the timeline →In depth
The expedition demonstrated in practice that the oceans connect, and gave a first realistic sense of the planet's size — the Pacific was far larger than anyone had supposed. The crew also found they had "lost" a day, the first practical encounter with the date line. Juan Sebastián Elcano brought the ship Victoria home. The voyage opened the Pacific to European navigation and laid the ground for the Manila galleons, which for 250 years carried American silver to China.
For children
Magellan sailed west to find a way around America to the Spice Islands. He died on the voyage, but one of the ships carried on and came home three years later — having sailed all the way around the world. Of 270 men, 18 survived.
Connects to
Part of Terra Saga — the story of Earth on a timeline. terrasaga.org