1. 3rd Six Weeks History Research Project
A presentation by Scott Siler

2. Question
How did human innovation lead to Ferdinand Magellan circumnavigating the globe?

3. People Ferdinand Magellan King Charles I Born Significance Death
1480
Portugal
Significance
Lead the first crew to circumnavigate the globe
Was the first man to discover a passage through South America into the Pacific
Death
Killed in the Philippines in 1521 by the Mactan Natives
Died before he could circumnavigate the world but survivors in his crew did
King Charles I
Once the monarch of Spain
He was born in 1480 in either Porto or Sabrosa, Portugal.
He was the first man to find a passage through South America into the Pacific and his crew was the first to circumnavigate the globe, the strait that he discovered, that passed under South America, was named after him. It is called the Strait of Magellan.
The Strait of Magellan proved to be too dangerous to be used regularly but did increase European understanding of the globe and provided evidence that the world is round.
He died in the Philippines in 1521.
His death was caused when he attempted to lead a newly converted native tribe, the Cebuan, into battle against a tribe that he wanted to convert, the Mactan. This religious dispute lead to his death because he was shot with a fatal poisonous arrow.
He died before he could circumnavigate the globe but 18 members of his crew and one of the five ships that set sail with Ferdinand did complete the journey.
Despite being born Portuguese, Ferdinand Magellan sailed for Spain, specifically King Charles I who sent Ferdinand on a journey to find a faster way to the spices in the west.

4. What did Magellan do? Lead an expedition to the West
Reached the Spice Islands
Circumnavigate (Go around completely) the globe
When
Sailed on September 20th 1519
One ship returned on September 6th 1522
Magellan’s crew of 270 men and five ships set sail on Sept. 20th 1519.
His surviving crew, 18 men and one ship, arrived back in Spain on Sept. 6th 1522.

5. What tools did Magellan use?
Tools/Marine Navigational Innovations
Compass
Back staff
Lead line
Ships that Magellan used
Carracks/Naos
Lateen sail
A compass is an instrument containing a magnetized pointer that shows the direction of magnetic north, the more modern and practical compass was invented by the venetians during the early renaissance. Magellan probably used it to determine which direction he was sailing in.
The back staff was a navigational instrument that was used to measure altitude by observing the shadows that it made when under the sun. The user would turn their back to the sun before using it, hence “back staff”. Magellan probably used it to determine his location so he could make navigational decisions.
The lead line is a line with a lead weight at one end that is used for measuring the depth of water. The lead line could also have a fat or fatty substance added to its end so that when it hit the bottom, it would collect some of the terrain of the ocean floor, this could help a nautical traveler to determine where he was. Magellan may have used this to determine the depth of the water for creating maps, for preventing shipwrecks, or for making sure that all ships were an appropriate distance from shore.
Carracks were special ships that were generally used for long distance journeys and they were known as the “beasts of burden” at the time of the 16th Century. Carracks could carry many people and a lot of cargo, this made the ship ideal for a long journey such as Magellan’s. A carrack would have its main sail as a square sail, usually, and then have smaller lateen sails which could be used for maneuverability while the square sail would be used for speed.
The lateen sail, which is a triangular sail, first began to appear in during the Renaissance. The design of the sail gave it the advantage of being able to sail into the wind instead of having to follow it. The only problem with the lateen sail was that it required more men to use it instead of the square sail. It is also important to say that if the max speed of a lateen sail and the max speed of a square sail are compared, the square sail will go faster but it cannot go into the wind.
All of these tools and factors are evidence supporting that innovation, did in fact, provide Magellan with the ability to circumnavigate the globe.

6. Why?
Magellan began his journey in search for a faster route to the spice islands in the East
For money
To make spices more available
More power that would come from spice trade profits
Would give Spain more power in Europe, which was very competitive
Magellan began his journey in search of a quicker way to the spice islands. The need for spices was probably because it would bring great wealth to people at the time (spice trade was a valuable business at the time). It would also bring in heaper spices, making them available to everyone, not just royals. The first reasons is the most important one as it may bring in more money and that money was used to earn power, more so than other empires from Europe. This competition was a driving force for many things at the time of Empires in Europe such as scientific breakthroughs and innovation. All so that one nation could be more powerful than the other.

7. Perspective
Human innovation gave Magellan the opportunity to circumnavigate the globe
Navigational Tools
Ships
Circumstances led to the expedition
Spice trade
Money
Magellan, along with many other sailors of his day, were highly proficient in using nautical navigational tools, this exemplifies that the tools were easy to use by many sailors. Another conclusion that can be made is that since many sailors and explorers of the day were proficient with marine navigation, the only reason he held the first official expedition to circumnavigate the globe was because he was chosen to, but many other explorers could have as well. Overall, innovation of technology led Magellan to discover but not just him, many other sailors as well.

8. Opposing Perspective
Technological advancements did not aid in Magellan’s circumnavigation
Even without the technology of the time, he could have still made it around the globe because the reason he sailed southwest was based off of fables, not the use of technology
One could argue that even before the technology that Magellan used at the time was invented, since people could still determine direction, he could have circumnavigated the globe without his more modern tools. For example, the cross staff is the predecessor to the back staff, it performs the same functions with only a few extra constraints. Even more evidence includes the fact that, the compass and the lead line were invented hundreds of years before Magellan sailed and they performed their same functions as the ones Magellan used but with fewer perks accompanying them through design. Magellan could not have used the most modern versions of the lead line or the compass but none the less he could use the past designs, prior to their innovations, to serve the same purpose.

9. Follow up Questions
Does innovation empower humans to discover or does discovery provide humans with the ability to innovate?
Does innovation lead to power or does power lead to innovation?
What are the most powerful driving forces in history? Do they empower each other in some way?
After examining the evidence one could come to the conclusion that innovation promotes discovery just as much as discovery promotes innovation. One could conclude this because the innovations of aquatic navigation facilitated Magellan in his exploration and also aided in many other explorers’ explorations. Many other explorers throughout history aided in the discovery and colonization of new lands which in turn, provided more resources and capital, which gave people the opportunity to innovate. Innovation then provided more opportunities to discover more. A cycle pattern.
Power an innovation work off of each other in the same way that innovation and discovery work off of each other, in a circular motion. Competition for more power provides humans with a motivation, or drive to work harder and do better. This drive leads to innovation so that one nation can become more powerful than another, but it also force other countries to work even harder and invent and advance themselves more.
Power, innovation or advancement, and discovery all seem to be consistent driving forces in history, especially in the Age of Exploration time period. These three forces all seem to work off of each other as one can lead to the any of the other two. These three terms may be more general or less specific forms of Nationalism, industrialization, and imperialism all of which were driving forces in the early 19th Century. As seen in the case of Magellan, a competitive spirit and motivation for power from Spain sent Magellan on his journey which he required, to a certain extent, innovation that lead to his journey of discovery.

10. Works Cited
"Ferdinand Magellan: The First to Go around the World?" : Explorers & Leaders : Sea & Ships Fact Files : Sea & Ships : Explore Online : RMG. Royal Museums Greenwich, Web. 27 May 2015.
Voyages." Voyages. WordPress, n.d. Web. 27 May 2015.
"The Mariners' Museum | EXPLORATION through the AGES." The Mariners' Museum | EXPLORATION through the AGES. The Mariners' Museum, n.d. Web. 27 May 2015.
Szalay, By Jessie. "Ferdinand Magellan: Facts & Biography." LiveScience. TechMedia Network, 23 Jan Web. 27 May 2015.
"Ferdinand Magellan Biography." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, Web. 27 May 2015.
History.com Staff. "Magellan Sets out." History.com. A&E Television Networks, Web. 27 May 2015.
"Development of Sailing Ships( Updated April 2014 )." Early Sailing Ships. N.p., Apr Web. 27 May 2015.
"Changes in Europe." Changes in Europe. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 May 2015.
History.com Staff. "Ferdinand Magellan." History.com. A&E Television Networks, Web. 27 May 2015.

11. Links
leaders/magellan
oration/Chanes_in_Euro.html