Magellan Enters Straits Around South America
Ferdinand Magellan's entry into the southern passage around South America on November 28, 1520, marked a significant milestone in maritime exploration, as he became the first known European to navigate this route, later named the Strait of Magellan in his honor. This approximately 350-mile-long passage is crucial for ships traveling westward from Europe to Asia, having remained in use even after the construction of the Panama Canal due to its navigational advantages. Magellan, initially from Portugal, shifted his allegiance to Spain after a disagreement with the Portuguese Crown and sought to find a new route to Asia by sailing west. His expedition began on September 20, 1519, with a fleet of five ships, embarking on a challenging journey along the extensive South American coastline.
Despite facing harsh conditions and setbacks, Magellan's successful navigation through the strait allowed access to the Pacific Ocean, opening new trade routes. Tragically, he was killed in a conflict with island natives in the Pacific in April 1521. Although only one of his ships completed the return journey to Spain, Magellan is celebrated for being the first person to circumnavigate the globe, leaving a lasting legacy in the history of exploration. His endeavors not only transformed maritime navigation but also greatly impacted global trade and cultural exchanges.
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Magellan Enters Straits Around South America
Magellan Enters Straits Around South America
On November 28, 1520, Ferdinand Magellan became the first known European to enter the southern passage around the tip of South America, which until the construction of the Panama Canal was the only way for ships traveling westward from Europe to reach Asia. This passage was later named the Strait of Magellan in his honor. It is approximately 350 miles long and varies from two to 15 miles in width along its course. Owing to size limitations and other restrictions with respect to the Panama Canal, the Strait of Magellan is still widely used for ocean shipping.
Magellan was born in Portugal and entered the military as a young man, but after a dispute with the Portuguese Crown he joined the service of neighboring Spain. Like Columbus, Magellan was convinced that he could reach Asia by sailing westwards, but he also had the benefit of the records of several exploratory missions to the New World which gave him at least a cursory knowledge of the continents and their coastlines. Magellan convinced the Spanish Crown to fund a voyage, and on September 20, 1519, he left from the port of Sanlucar de Barrameda, Spain, at the head of a fleet of five ships.
He sailed southwest toward Brazil, which the Portuguese had already discovered and claimed, then down along the coastline of South America. It was a frustrating journey, since that coast extends for several thousand miles and reaches into freezing waters just short of Antarctica and the South Pole. Magellan's discovery of a westward passage along the strait which would be named after him, however, enabled him and future voyagers to reach the Pacific Ocean.
Of course, from there it was many thousands of miles more across the Pacific to the Asian lands rich in spices and other trade goods that he and his crew sought. During this difficult transit, Magellan was killed in a conflict with Pacific island natives on April 27, 1521. While only one of his vessels eventually returned to Spain, he is credited with being the first person to circumnavigate the world, in addition to traversing the tip of South America.