Magellan's Voyage around the World

The Magellan Expedition

• Took place from August/September 1519 to September 1522
• First voyage around the world in human history
• Led by Portuguese sailor Ferdinand Magellan, then Spanish Basque navigator Juan Sebastián Elcano

Initial Goal and Journey

• Explore possibility of a southwestern passage around South America to China and the Spice Islands (now part of Indonesia)
• Sailed from Seville, Spain in 1519
• Crossed the Atlantic Ocean
• Wintered in Patagonia
• Suppressed a mutiny
• Found and transited the Straits of Magellan in 1520

Pacific Ocean and Philippines

• Crossed the Pacific Ocean
• Arrived in the Philippines
• Magellan killed during a raid on the Mactan chief Lapulapu in 1521

Completion of Circumnavigation

• Juan Sebastián Elcano took command of the expedition
• Sailed into the open Indian Ocean
• Avoided landing in South Africa despite resulting starvation
• Bluffed his way into resupply at the Cape Verde Islands
• Completed the first circumnavigation on September 6, 1522

Crew and Outcome

• Initial crew: 270 members
• Only 18 sailors completed the entire journey

Tagalog Customs

• Tagalog people are predominantly located in the central part of Luzon, the largest island in the Philippines.
• Tagalog society values extended families and kinship ties, with respect for elders and authority figures emphasized.
• Family gatherings are important social events in Tagalog culture.

Language and Communication

• The Tagalog language, also known as Filipino, is central to Tagalog customs.
• Politeness and respect in language use are highly valued, with specific terms of address for different relationships and situations.

Religious Beliefs and Practices

• Historically, Tagalogs practiced animism before the arrival of Spanish colonizers, who introduced Christianity.
• Today, Catholicism is the predominant religion among Tagalogs, influencing many aspects of their customs and traditions.

Rajah and Datu

Definitions and Roles

• Rajah: a title of nobility or royalty, denoting a ruler, chief, or king within a kingdom or a larger polity, with supreme authority over a territory or community.
• Datu: a term that refers to a chief, leader, or nobleman in Filipino indigenous societies, denoting a local leader or ruler of a community or barangay.

Hierarchy and Territorial Control

• Rajah holds a higher position in the political and social hierarchy compared to a Datu.
• Rajahs may rule over multiple Datu and their respective communities, forming a tiered system of governance.
• Rajahs have control over larger territories or regions, which may encompass several Datu-led barangays.
• Datu have authority over smaller, more localized areas.

Historical Context

• The titles of Rajah and Datu were prevalent during the pre-colonial period in the Philippines before Spanish colonization introduced new administrative structures and titles.
• Rajahs and Datu played significant roles in the social, political, and economic organization of indigenous societies.