Ferdinand Magellan was a Portuguese explorer who led the first expedition to sail around the world. The voyage began in 1519 with a fleet of ships traveling west from Europe.

Magellan reached the Pacific Ocean after passing through a narrow waterway now called the Strait of Magellan. He died in 1521 in the Philippines, but his crew continued the journey. In 1522, the remaining ship returned to Spain.

This expedition showed that the Earth could be circled by sea. Records from the voyage include maps and journals of the journey.