ACTIVITY #2

1. Using a world and Philippine map, trace the route of the Magellan expedition (in words)

 According to Pigafetta’s accounts, where Ferdinand Magellan’s expedition was narrated,

he left spain on August 10, 1519 but their actual journey started on September 20, 1519.
Thanks to their 5 ships namely Victoria, Concepcion, San Antonio, Santiago, and
Trinidad, they were able to take a journey with other 270 crew members. Magelan and
the crew were able to reach West African coast, Brazil and South America in the Atlantic.
 October 21, 1520, Magellan discovers a passage which connects the Atlantic and newly
discovered Pacific Ocean which was called Strait of Magellan. On the other side, only 3
out of 5 ships were able to cross the passage because ship San Antonio deserted the
voyage by reversing its way while ship Santiago faced strong squall in the Brazilian coast.
This affected the crew and did all the possible way to survive.
 On March 6,1521. They were able to re stock their needs in Guam which they called as
Island of Sails or Isla de Ladrones when natives stile a boat from the ship Trinidad,
Ladrones, a Spanish term means thief.
 They were able to land in Zamal/Samar wherein Feast of St. Lazarus coincided with their
arrival, thus they decided to name the island Archipelago of Lazarus. Afterwards, they
went to Humunu/Homonhon and met Rajah Siagu and Rajah Colambu, the rulers of
Butuan and Caraga.
 They left Homonhon on March 27, 1521 and reached Masao in Butuan next day.
Magellan and Rajah Colambu made a blood compact as a sign of their friendship. Fr.
Perdro de Valderrama offered a mass. The crew later installed a cross on the mountains,
signifying the conquest of the land.
 On April 7, 1521, they met Rajah Humabon in the journey through the assistance of
Colambu sailed to Cebu. Humanbon welcomed Magellan and made a blood compact to
build relationship.
 A mass was precided in Cebu and a cross was once again erected as a sign of conquest
of the land on April 14, 1521. Later, they invited natives to be baptized including
Humadon and his wife. Magellan gave an image of the child Jesus (Santo Nino) to Juana
as a gift.
 From Homonhon, the expedition through the assistance of Colambu sailed to Cebu
where they met Rajah Humabon on April 7, 1521. Although reluctant at first, Humabon
welcomed Magellan and their friendship was cemented through a blood compact. On
April 14, 1521, a mass was officiated in Cebu and a cross was once again erected as a
sign of conquest of the land.
 Not all chiefstains in Cebu wanted to build friendship with Magellan, including Lapu-lapu.
Zula, another chief in Mactan, asked for assistance of Magellan to defeat Lapu-lapu. In
the fight, Magelan was struck with poisoned arrow and was hit with bamboo causing him
to fall. The Spaniards retreated after seeing their Leader dead. They requested for
Magellan’s body which was denied by the natives. For them, the body was a symbol of
their valor and victory.
  Humabon was not impressed by Magellan’s defeat. He then invited the remaining troops
to have a feast in his place and then killed by the natives. Out of twenty-six Spaniards
who went to feast, twenty-four were killed, including Duarte Barbossa, Juan Serrano, and
Pedro de Valderrama, the priest who baptized them.
 The remaining crew members left Cebu immediately and started to return to their land.
They were able to reach Palawan, Brunei, Mindanao, and Moluccas.
 Trinidad and Victoria took two different routes. The Trinidad, commanded by Gomez de
Espirera, took their way to the Pacific in the hope of reaching Mexico while the Victoria,
commanded by Sebastian de Elcano, sailed through Spain by crossing the Indian Ocean
and the African coast.
 The Trinidad was captured by the Portuguese in Moluccas and couldn’t make their
journey. The Victoria, on the other hand, was able to return to Spain on September 6,
1522, after 2 years, 11 months and 16 days.
 Out of the 270 original crew members of the expedition, only eighteen, along with four
Indians survived the journey

2.Discuss what makes Pigafetta‘s account on Magellan‘s expedition essential in understanding

pre-16th century Filipinos
Pigafetta’s account mainly talks about Magellan’s journey and events from it’s launching
until its return to Spain. Because of this source, we’re able to discover how Philippines was
discovered by a foreign country. Pigafetta’s account gave us much information about tradition
and history of both our natives and foreign people.
The events that happened, according to Pigafetta’s account, are one of the important
information that we’ve known. With Philippines being included in the source, we are able to
know more about people in pre-16 and 16 th century because his account narrates detailed
observation of people, tradition and medium of speaking along with Magellan’s expedition
(geography) and other important events.
The Pigafetta’s accounts made us understand what it looks like living in 16 th century of
different country with different tradition.

3. Analyze the content of Fray de Plasencia‘s account. Focusing on the relation on the worship
and beliefs of the Tagalogs, does the language or description used in the account suggest bias
of any sort? How can you use this primary source in your future studies?
Customs of the Tagalogs was written by Juan or Fray de Plasencia which talks about
different tradition, knowledge and information, and essential things that contributes to history.
He was ordered by the king of Spain to observe and make an account that described the
natives in the area he was assigned. Although he made this account with important and
abundant information, he was not able to directly witness all the events/information as he
described. He collected the information by asking few questions to older natives in the area he
was assigned to. And by that, he is biased because according to the source, he screened the
information he wrote in the account regarding the natives and their daily lives. This account, full
of information about the natives, will be used by colonizers in how they will deal with their prey.
How can you use this primary source in your future studies?
The source contains information that contributes to history and future studies. Because
of this account, we were able to know about our ancestor and their daily survival. As time goes
by, we study and compare past from the futures. From this, we can track and tell the difference
of living back then and now. Sources like this will help us improve over time and discover new
things that can be essential on different things. Thanks to this source, we can avoid the
mistakes that we have done in the past and protect ourselves and the future.