First Voyage Around The World

Jamiel James Arceno BSN1B

Author's background

Historical background of the document

Readings in Philippine History MWF (11:30am-12:30pm)

First Voyage Around the World By Antonio Pigafetta Antonio Pigafetta was born in 1491, in the province of Vicenza in Italy. He is also known as Antonio Lombardo or Francisco Antonio Pigafetta. Antonio Pigafetta also died in Vicenza, Italy in 1534. He was a scholar and explorer from the Republic of Venice. He was a seafarer and geographer. One of the facts about Antonio Pigafetta is that he was part of the first world circumnavigation that was started by the Portuguese explorer named Ferdinand Magellan. He traveled with Ferdinand Magellan and his crew by order of the King Charles I of Spain on their voyage to the Indies. During the expedition, he served as Magellan’s assistant and kept an accurate journal which later assisted him in translating one of the Philippine languages, Cebuano. It is the first recorded document concerning this language. This first world voyage was one of the greatest achievements in the history of navy exploration. This voyage began to sail in 1519 with five ships. However, its leader was killed in 1521, and the next year, only one ship returned to Spain with a few men. Antonio Pigafetta was one of the few survivors. Many years later, Antonio Pigafetta’s chronicles about his detailed journey about the first trip around the world was rescued in 1797, and it is currently considered as one of the most important documentary evidences about various discoveries in terms of world geography within the sixteenth century. It is known as “First Voyage Around the World” in English. This is one of the most valuable contributions of Antonio Pigafetta. Antonio Pigafetta was a key player of one of the most amazing world exploration trips. He was born in Vicenza in 1492, and he was an Italian seafarer and geographer. The relevance of his own venture, fundamentally lies in the fact that he took part to the first globe circumnavigation, between 1519 and 1522, and he was able to accomplish it after the murder of Ferdinand Magellan, leaving a detailed description of the journey in the Report of the first trip around the world, a lost manuscript that was rescued later, in 1797, and today is considered one of the most important documentary evidence relating the geographical discoveries of the Sixteenth Century. Antonio Pigafetta, fascinating and fleeing personality, for

Jamiel James Arceno BSN1B

Readings in Philippine History MWF (11:30am-12:30pm)

scholars he still represents a partial mystery. About he too little is known to define a satisfactory profile on the biographical side. Documents and the testimony of contemporaneous are scarce, and his own character primarily appears from what he wrote in his own report. His own narration about the first world circumnavigation was one of the greatest achievements in the history of navy exploration and discovery. In this narration can be found descriptions of peoples, countries, goods and even the languages that were spoken, of which the seafarer was trying to assemble some brief glossaries. Pigafetta tells how, being in Barcelona in 1519, he heard about Magellan’s expedition, and being wishful to learn about the world, he asked for and obtained the permission to join in the voyage. Magellan’s fleet weighed anchor from Seville on August 10th of the same year with five smaller vessels, heading towards Canary Islands and down along the African coast, and across the Equator. From there they sailed towards Brazil coast, where they stayed for some time, making supplies and weaving friendly contacts with the cannibalistic natives who dwelled there. Moving on, then they arrived in Patagonia, where they spent winter months in a desolate solitude. They met local people, who looked like giants in their eyes full of wonder, because of their robust body types. They survived the mutiny of one of the captains and some disgruntled sailors, and continued the exploration of the coast. One of the vessels was drowned, but the whole crew managed to be saved. They preceded until the discovery of the strait, named after, Magellan himself, on October 21st 1520, and went through, although one of the ships deserted, sailing back to Spain. Finally, they arrived in the Philippines, where they became acquainted with the natives who proved hospitable and welcomed them as guests in the king’s palace. The indigenous people, affected by the celebration of Mass and the crucifix planted in the island, promised to convert to Christianity. Quickly they developed commerce and trade, and the king, the queen and other notables of Cebu were converted, until the entire population rapidly followed them in the new religion. Shortly after what happened in the disastrous episode that

Jamiel James Arceno BSN1B

Content Analysis:  Understanding the historical information. A. Identify and describe the customs and traditions mentioned in the document that have: 1. Socio-cultural significance 2. Political significance 3. Economic significance

B. Identify and describe the mentioned: a. Dates b. Places c. Personalities

Readings in Philippine History MWF (11:30am-12:30pm)

changed the course of the expedition. Magellan took part in a conflict between some local tribes and was killed. The rest of the expedition managed to escape and retired, preparing to leave, but a trap set by Magellan’s interpreter and the king of Cebu, led to another massacre of the Europeans. The surviving ships continued toward Borneo and to the city of Brunei, where they managed to stock up, then from there, traveling southbound, they came to the Moluccas, 27 months after the departure from Spain, finding a warm welcome by an astrologer king who had predicted their arrival. But at this point, despite the perspective of good business and the rich exchanges that would lay ahead, their desire to return to Spain urged them and pushed them to a quick return. 1. The good traits and physical appearance of Filipinos were identified and recognized. It was said in the book that the Spaniards observed that Filipinos were very hospitable. 2. Introduces the personalities, crucial bravery and guaranteed defense of the Philippines. . Even in that time, Filipinos already have a form of government even before the civilization. 3. The ways and means of trading system, mostly the things that carried out of the country. Discovery of the different kinds of products in the Philippines such as fabrics, herbs, perfume, porcelain, carpets and other products. The Spaniards also noticed that Philippines were rich in gold, spice, coconut, and silk. a) March 16, 1521 (Magellan and his crew arrived on the small island of Homohon), March 18, 1521 (Natives found Magellan and his crew), March 22, 1521 (Natives bought gifts to Magellan and his crew), March 25, 1521 (Magellan and his crew went southwest), March 28, 1521 (Magellan and his crew met Rajah Kulambo), March 29, 1521 (Magellan establishes a friendship treaty with the chief Rajah Kulambo), March 31, 1521 (First Catholic Mass held in Limasawa), April 7, 1521 (Magellan entered Cebu), April 27 (Magellan Magellan dies in battle of Mactan island against chieftain Lapu-Lapu) b) Seville in Spain, Brazil, Puerto San Julian, Strait of Magellan, Guam in Mariana Islands,

Jamiel James Arceno BSN1B

Contextual Analysis: What are the factors that could have influenced Antonio Pigafetta in the writing of the document?  Explain.

What are the relevance / contribution of the document in Philippine history?

What are the author's main arguments?

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Homonhon island in Samar, Cebu Island, Island of Mactan in Cebu, Palawan Island, Borneo Island, Maluku Islands, Cape of Good Hope, Cape Verde. c) Ferdinand Magellan, Antonio Pigafetta, Juan Sebastian Elcano, King Charles I of Spain, Rajah Humabon, Datu Lapu-Lapu, Datu Zula. The factor that may have influenced Pigafetta into writing this account was to document their expedition and initially his own perspective of his experience. Everything from the beginning of their expedition was narrated by Antonio Pigafetta which includes detailed descriptions of peoples, countries, goods and even the languages that were spoken, of which the seafarer was trying to assemble some brief glossaries. His difficult experiences and life at sea is probably what kept him writing the account. The relevance of the document lies in the fact that Antonio Pigafetta took part to the first globe circumnavigation, between 1519 and 1522, and he was able to finish it after the murder of Ferdinand Magellan, leaving a detailed description of the journey reporting the first trip around the world. The document also gave enough information about what was in the past about the Philippine history. We were able to gain knowledge about our ancestors’ pre-colonial tradition and culture. The account of Antonio Pigafetta met discrepancies against several Filipino historians on two arguments: The first argument was against Masao, some Filipino historians have long contested the idea that Limasawa was the site of the first Catholic mass in the country. Historian Sonia Zaide identified Masao (also Mazaua) in Butuan as the location of the first Christian mass. The basis of Zaide's claim is the diary of Antonio Pigafetta, chronicler of Magellan's voyage. In 1995 then Congresswoman Ching Plaza of Agusan del Norte-Butuan City filed a bill in Congress contesting the Limasawa hypothesis and asserting the "site of the first mass" was Butuan. The Philippine Congress referred the matter to the National Historical Institute for it to study the issue and recommend a historical finding. Then NHI chair Dr. Samuel K. Tan reaffirmed Limasawa as the site of the first mass. The second argument was against Bolinao, Odoric of Pordenone, an Italian and Franciscan friar and missionary explorer is heartily believed by many Pangasinenses to have celebrated the first mass in

Jamiel James Arceno BSN1B

Your own overall observation and insights on the primary source

Readings in Philippine History MWF (11:30am-12:30pm)

Pangasinan in around 1324 that would have predated the mass held in 1521 by Ferdinand Magellan. A marker in front of Bolinao Church states that the first Mass on Philippine soil was celebrated in Bolinao Bay in 1324 by a Franciscan missionary, Blessed Odorico. However, there is scholarly doubt that Odoric was ever at the Philippines. Ultimately, the National Historical Institute led by its chair Ambeth Ocampo recognized the historical records of Limasawa in Southern Leyte as the venue of the first Mass, held on March 31, 1521. Magellan’s voyage leads the vast geographical knowledge of mankind and proved once and for all that the Earth is spherical in shape. Since his discovery of the Philippines, it broadened the archipelago into the awareness that Europeans paved the way to Spanish colonization and civilization. The socio-economic status also improved Pigafetta’s own narration about the Philippines: it tells us about culture and languages that we all had in our past. The account of Antonio Pigafetta is a major aid in discovering our original roots of being a Filipino, it is interesting to ponder what we could have been if Magellan did not discover the Philippines.