First Voyage Around the World PDF

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Content and Contextual Analysis of Selected Primary SourcesPrimary Accounts Discussions First Voyage Around the World Background of the Author Pigafetta's exact year of birth is not known, with estimates ranging between 1480 and 1491. Antonio Pigafetta was an Italian scholar and explorer. Pigafet...

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Content and Contextual Analysis of Selected Primary Sources Primary Accounts First Voyage Around the World Background of the Author

Discussions

 Pigafetta's exact year of birth is not known, with estimates ranging between 1480 and 1491.  Antonio Pigafetta was an Italian scholar and explorer.  Pigafetta belonged to a wealthy family from the city of Vicenza in northeast Italy and studied navigation, among other things.  He joined the expedition to the Spice Islands led by explorer Ferdinand Magellan under King Charles I of Spain.  He kept a detailed and comprehensive journal of his journey with Ferdinand Magellan.  He was one of the 18 of Magellan's original crew who, having completed the world's first circumnavigation, returned to Spain onboard another vessel, the Victoria. Historical background of the  Spices were in-demand commodities among the Europeans document or documentary film because of their numerous benefits such as food preservation, flavor enhancement, and medicine.  Portugal and Spain were involved in an intense rivalry to see who could find and claim new territory to source the spices coveted by European aristocrats.  The Treaty of Tordesillas was effective at that time. It is an agreement between Spain and Portugal to settle conflicts over lands newly discovered or explored by Christopher Columbus.  In 1505, Magellan, in service to Portugal, joined the fight, traveling to India, Malaysia, and Indonesia. However, he was accused of illegal trading and fell out with Manuel I, who turned down his proposal to locate a new spice route.  Magellan abandoned his Portuguese loyalty, transferred his allegiance to Spain through King Charles V, and eventually gained his trust.  In search of spices, the Spaniards approved Magellan’s plan to go to the East via a westward direction after Portugal turned down his plan.  Magellan led an expedition of five ships with 237 men, namely; San Antonio, Santiago, Concepcion, Victoria, and Trinidad. However, only one remained and returned to Spain after the expedition, Victoria.  Pigafetta wrote the Chronicle onboard in one of the five ships that were first to circumnavigate the world during an expedition.  The “First Voyage Around the World” was one of the accounts written by Antonio Pigafetta in his narrative and cartographic record journal “Chronicles of Magellan Expedition.” Content and contextual analysis of  On March 16, 1521, Magellan and his crew arrived in the the important historical information Philippines island, or what they called as islands of Ladroni. They found in the document or film first reached the island of Zamal (Samar).  On March 18, 1521, there came some natives giving signs of joy for the presence of the crew of Magellan. The native Filipinos did welcome the foreigners warmly. As described by Pigafetta, “they exhibited great signs of pleasure at seeing us.”

 Seeing that the natives are reasonable men, Magellan gave them red caps, mirrors, comb, and other things. In return, the natives offered fish, wine, coconuts, and other resources.  Magellan named the place (Islands of Humunu) as the “Archipelago of San Lazarus” due to the several islands located in that district. “Archipelago of San Lazarus” was the primitive name of the Philippines.  Magellan succeeds in his plan to influence the faith of the people on the island he has conquered.  The first Mass in our country happened on March 31 and Eastern day. The first cross was then set up in Mazaua (Limasawa) as wished by Magellan for the benefits of the natives.  The native Filipinos have their idols before and a God, which they called “Abba,” but they threw this belief away as they embraced Christianity which Magellan introduced.  Magellan and his crew went to Zubu (Cebu) on April 7, upon hearing good reports about the island from the King of Mazaua.  They are not immediately warmly welcomed, for they were asked to pay tribute, but Magellan refused to do so.  There was a negotiation through a notary. The King of Zubu asked for a drop of their blood as a sign of their friendship, both agreed.  On Zubu, the captain’s power to influence the faith of people worked.

Contribution and relevance of the document or documentary film

Analysis of the Content and Context  The primary source itself is not an essay but a narrative depiction of the events that occurred.  The journal was written from the author’s experience or memory during Ferdinand Magellan’s voyage worldwide, most specifically in the Philippine Islands.  It was very detailed and supplied a lot of information.  The narrative was in “in media’s res.” It started during the Battle in Mactan then proceeded to a flashback when Magellan and his crew came to the island and their experiences during their stay.  It contains vivid descriptions of the pre-colonized Filipinos’ lives and cultures, such as their food, rich natural resources, appearance, livelihood, and religion. It only proves that there were already civilizations and political systems, even before they came to the archipelago.  Magellan and his crew were the people who converted some of the natives to Christianity. Consequently, they were also the ones responsible for the first Mass in the Philippine Islands.  Ferdinand Magellan, indeed, died in the Philippines. Contribution and Relevance to Philippine History  The account is proof of the richness, governance and, independence in our country in the pre-colonial era.  Christianity, as the largest religion in the world, was propagated in the Philippines by Ferdinand Magellan.  The faith of the natives before is just about raising hands and clapping, building different images of their idols, until Magellan introduced Christianity to them. It was accepted and practiced by

Filipinos and has been a considerable part of our culture and beliefs.  The account of Pigafetta enriched Philippine historiography because it contains essential details about the conditions of the Visayan Islands in the 16th century.  Local textbook writers use his book as their historical information source about the beginning of Christianity in the Philippines.  The document also narrated the status (inferiority) of the Filipinos in warfare, manner of dressing, and system of writing. Contribution and Relevance to World History  The Pigafetta document gave a detailed chronicle of the significant events of the exploration of Ferdinand Magellan.  Pigafetta's chronicle contributed immensely to European historiography as it preserved and popularized the MagellanElcano expedition's achievements.  It provided a description, location, and distances of the places visited, thereby enhancing cartography knowledge at that time.  He proved to other explorers and the people today that circumnavigating the world was possible.  They proved that the Earth is not flat but an oblate sphere.  They confirmed that the Portuguese route is not the only way to the Spice Islands.  They discovered a large body of water on the side of the American continent, which they named the Pacific Ocean.  They found a strait that connected the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and called it the Strait of Magellan....