Name: Warren Syt G.
Bojos Year & Section: BSEd Science – 1A
Author’s background
Historical Background of the
Document
First Voyage Around the World by Antonio Pigafetta
Antonio Pigafetta was born almost at the end of the 15th century. He is the eldest child among
the three of Giovanni Pigafetta and Angela Zoga.
Pigafetta was a native of Vicenza in Venice, Italy.
He studied astronomy, geography, and cartography.
He joined the expedition to the Spice Islands led by explorer Ferdinand Magellan under the
flag of King Charles I of Spain and after Magellan’s death in the Philippines Islands, the
subsequent voyage around the world. He served as Magellan’s assistant and kept an accurate
journal.
The First Voyage Around the World document by Antonio Pigafetta was written on board
in one of the 5 ships, Armada de Molucca, that was first to circumnavigate the world during the
expedition led by Portuguese explorer, Ferdinand Magellan and after his death during the voyage,
by Juan Sebastian Elcano. The expedition started in 1519 and ended in Spain in 1522. At the end of
the voyage, Pigafetta was on board in ship Victoria which the only ship that was able to return to
Spain. Upon arrival in Europe, he presented copies of his account to several personalities including
the Pope. Pigafetta’s account was not published until 1525, and was not published in its entirety
until 1800.
  August 10, 1519 – the departure of Armada de Molucca from Port Seville in Spain; and the
start of the first voyage around the world.
 March 16, 1521 – Magellan sighted the island of Zamal which is now Samar; He named the
archipelago of St. Lazarus.
 March 17, 1521 – Magellan arrived in the Island of Homonhon.
Event/Date/Place  March 28, 1521 – Magellan’s ships anchored at an island names Mazaua which is now
Limasawa.
 March 31, 1521 – The first catholic mass in the Philippines was held in Limasawa.
 April 7, 1521 – Magellan and his men entered the port of Zubu.
 April 26, 1521 – Lapu-lapu refused to be converted as Christian.
 April 27, 1521 – The Battle between Magellan and Lapu-lapu was held in Mactan.

Contribution and Relevance

of the Document in
 The document of Pigafetta elaborated the lifestyle of the localities of Filipinos from the past.
Understanding the Grand
Narrative of Philippine He was able to show to us how people before in the Philippines communicate and live. And
History
even before, Philippines have already their own culture before Magellan came.
 Pigafetta’s document serve as bases of different historical facts of Philippine History such as
the first catholic mass or the first time the Filipinos entered the Christianity religion was held
in Limasawa in Cebu.
 The document also contains Visayan languages from Butuanon and Cebuano language with a
total of 145 words. This part of the document shows the origin and derivation of our different
languages here in the Philippines.
  The document was able to tell to us and understand the issue how the conflict between
Spaniards and Filipinos started in the history.

The readings on The First Voyage Around the World help me understand a lot of things,
events, and issues from the past between the Spaniards and Filipinos because of the expedition of
Ferdinand Magellan around the world. Aside from recalling that the Earth was round and not flat

Learning Experiences that I have learned before because Magellan was able to circumnavigate the world and prove it, the
document was able to narrate and let me see the bigger picture of the voyage around the world, and
as well the lives of the Filipino in the history. The readings and learning experiences that I have
encountered during this chapter was able to widen my perspective and answer my assumptions
from the past like how exactly Magellan died.