30 Questions
What was the direction in which the Spaniards sailed after departing from Ladrones?
Westwards
What was the name of the island where the Spaniards anchored on the same day they sailed from Ladrones?
Suluan
What was the latitude of the island of Suluan?
9 and two-thirds degrees North
What was the name of the large island that was inhabited and known to have gold?
Seilani
What was the name of the small island that the Spaniards sailed to after Seilani?
Mazava
What was the characteristic of the people of the island of Mazava?
They were very good
Who is the pilot of one of Magellan's ships, Trinidad?
Francisco Albo
What is the title of Antonio Pigafetta's account?
Primo viaggio intorno al mondo
Who is the editor of the collection of voyages and discoveries made by the Spanish from the end of the 15th century?
Martin Fernandez de Navarrete
What is the name of the ship that circumnavigated the world?
Both Trinidad and Victoria
Who wrote the article 'Butuan or Limasawa?'
Miguel A.Bernard
What is the primary source that historians refer to in identifying the site of the first Mass?
Both the log kept by Francisco Albo and the account of Antonio Pigafetta
What direction did the expedition sail after leaving Homonhon?
Towards the west southwest
What is the identity of the island 'Cenalo' in the Italian manuscript?
The island of Leyte
Where is Hiunanghan located according to Pigafetta?
On the mainland of Leyte
What is the name of the bay that the expedition passed on their starboard side?
Hinunangan Bay
How long did the expedition stay on Mazaua Island?
Seven days
Where did the expedition head to after leaving Mazaua?
Cebu
What is a significant characteristic of Butuan's geography that is not mentioned in the Pigafetta account?
Its location near the Agusan River
What was the primary goal of European rulers during the Age of Exploration?
To find alternative routes to Asia by sea
Why did Europeans want to find a sea route to Asia?
To trade directly with Asia and reduce costs
Who proposed to sail westward to find a shortcut to Asia?
Christopher Columbus
What was the result of Christopher Columbus's voyage?
He reached the Americas
Which country colonized parts of the Philippines in the 16th century?
Spain
Where did Magellan's expedition sight a 'highland' on March 16, 1521?
Zamal
What was the name of the island where Magellan's expedition set up tents for the sick crew members?
Homonhon
What was the name given by Magellan to the entire archipelago?
The Islands of Saint Lazarus
What was the latitude of Homonhon Island?
10 degrees North Latitude
What was the day of the week when Magellan's expedition landed on Homonhon Island?
Sunday
Why did Magellan name the archipelago the 'Islands of Saint Lazarus'?
Because it was a Sunday in the Lenten season
Study Notes
The Age of Exploration
- Toward the end of the 19th century and the start of the 20th century, a more nuanced reading of the available evidence led to a reexamination of the first mass in the Philippines.
- The Age of Exploration was a period of competition among European rulers to conquer and colonize lands outside their original domains.
- The goal was to find alternative routes by sea to get to Asia, the main source of spices and other commodities.
Primary Source: Albo’s Log
- Albo, a pilot of one of Magellan’s ships, Trinidad, was a member of the Magellan expedition and an eyewitness of the events, particularly, of the first Mass.
- According to Albo’s log, on March 16, 1521, they sailed in a westerly course from Ladrones and saw land towards the northwest, but did not approach it due to shallow waters.
- They instead anchored at Suluan Island, where they saw canoes that fled at the Spaniards’ approach.
- From Suluan, they sailed westward to an uninhabited island of “Gada” (Homhonhon), where they took in a supply of wood and water.
Primary Source: Pigafetta’s Testimony
- Pigafetta, an eyewitness of the events, wrote an account of the Magellan expedition.
- According to Pigafetta, the expedition sailed “towards the west southwest” past four islands: Cenalo (Ceilon or Leyte), Hiunanghan (Hinunangan), Ibusson (Hibuson), and Albarien.
- They left Homonhon sailing westwards towards Leyte, then followed the Leyte coast southward, passing between Hibuson and Hinunangan Bay, and then continued southward to “Mazaua.”
- On Thursday, March 28, they anchored off Mashaua Island, where they saw a light or a bonfire the previous night.
- They remained seven days on Mazaua Island.
The Route of Magellan’s Expedition
- Pigafetta’s testimony on the route of Magellan’s expedition can be summarized as follows:
- Saturday, 16 March 1521: sighted a “highland” named “Zamal” which was some 300 leagues westward of Ladrones.
- Sunday, March 17: landed on an uninhabited island, which lay “to the right” of Zamal Island, and named it “Humunu” (Homonhon).
- On the same day, Magellan named the entire archipelago the “Islands of Saint Lazarus,” as it was Sunday in the Lenten season.
Test your knowledge of the historical event of the first mass in the Philippines. Learn about the different interpretations and sources that help identify the site of this significant event. Evaluate your understanding of the history of the Philippines during the 19th and 20th centuries.
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