How did Magellan prove that the earth is round?

In 15 19, Magellan sailed around the world for the first time. Since ancient times, people living in the east or the west have believed in the theory that the sky is round and the place is round by intuitive impression. It was not until the 1920s of 16 that people suddenly realized that they lived on a huge sphere. In sailing and land travel, whether you are carrying the sun or heading for the sun, you will eventually return to the original starting point through different routes. This great geographical discovery was confirmed by the brave and unyielding navigator Magellan.

Magellan 1480 was born in Porto, northern Portugal, a declining knight family. /kloc-at the age of 0/0, he was sent to the palace by his father to serve, and was later elected as the queen's attendant. 1496 or so, incorporated into the national maritime safety administration. At that time, Columbus had discovered the new continent of America, and Da Gama also opened up a new channel to India, which young Magellan longed for very much. 1505 Magellan participated in the expedition of Almeida, the first Portuguese governor in India, and launched a colonial war against Africa. Magellan served in the expedition for 8 years and went to East Africa, India and Malacca to explore and colonize. During his long experience in the East, Magellan has accumulated rich sailing experience.

At that time, The Earth is Round was not accepted by many people. Columbus's theory of "sailing to the west and reaching the east" has not been confirmed by navigation practice. Magellan, like Columbus, is convinced that sailing westward can also reach the spice country of the "Great South China Sea" (now the Pacific region). Therefore, he is determined to make an unprecedented voyage around the world.

15 13, Magellan returned to Lisbon and put forward his own ideas to the Portuguese king, hoping to get support. However, his request was repeatedly rejected by the Portuguese king. Because Portugal has controlled the trade in the East, it doesn't want to spend money to find new channels.

15 17, Magellan resolutely gave up Portuguese nationality and moved to Seville, Spain. There, he asked King Charles I of Spain to sail around the world, and gave Charles I a very beautiful colored globe marked with the suggested route. Charles I immediately approved his sailing plan and instructed him to start organizing the fleet to sail.

1565438+On September 20th, 2009, Magellan led an ocean-going fleet consisting of five seagoing ships and 265 sailors to sail from Sanluca Port, the outer port of Seville, Spain. Every ship in this fleet is full of all kinds of goods and equipped with muskets and cannons.

How can such an important matter be kept from the king of Portugal? He is very afraid that Spain will overtake Portugal. So, he sent some spies to sneak into Magellan's fleet, ready to wait for an opportunity to destroy, provoke crew relations, and even assassinate Magellan. There are also fierce factional struggles within the Spanish ruling group, and some cronies have also been placed. So when the fleet set sail, it looked mighty outside, but in fact there were various crises hidden inside.

The fleet sailed in the smoky Atlantic for 70 days and arrived at the Brazilian coast on129 October. Then they drove south along the coast of Brazil, looking for the channel leading to the Great South China Sea. The following year, on June 65438+1October 10, the fleet came to the endless big bay (at the exit of the La Plata River near the capital of Uruguay today). "The channel has been found!" "The channel is found!" The sailors cheered and thought that they had reached the end of America and could smoothly enter the new ocean. But after field investigation, it turned out to be an estuary. The fleet continued to sail south. A gust of cold wind, like a sharp knife made of ice, stabbed the fleet, which made people shudder. With the cold wind and large snowflakes, the whole hull was frozen outside.

On March 3, 2050 1,1,they arrived at the port of San Julien (now Argentine territory), and the crew were exhausted. At this point, it has entered winter. Because of latitude, the days are short and the weather is very bad. Magellan decided to anchor in this desolate place for the winter until the following spring.

It has been more than half a year since I left the warm Spain, and the crew is very tired. During their berthing, they were very depressed because they couldn't find the channel, but in the face of this desolate new continent, the weather was cold and everyone was even more depressed. At this point, there was a rebellion within the fleet. The three captains joined forces against Magellan, took control of three ships with armed men, resolutely disobeyed Magellan's orders and ordered Magellan to negotiate.

Magellan had a plan, so he wrote a letter agreeing to negotiate. While a captain was reading a letter, the messenger pulled out a knife and stabbed him in the throat. At the same time, an armed group of 15 people immediately took over the three ships. A rebellion was quickly put down.

There are many seabirds and fish in the port of St. Julian, as well as fresh water to eat and drink. The crew spent a long winter here. After living for a long time, I gradually found that there were residents nearby-aborigines, which Magellan called "bigfoot". They wanted to take these aborigines back to Spain as "specimens" for the king, so they caught two "big feet" by deception and chained them in the cabin.

The climate in the southern hemisphere is different from that in the northern hemisphere. In August, spring blossoms, Magellan's fleet set sail. However, at this time they only have four ships left. After sailing for two months, the fleet came to a vast estuary. "Is this an estuary or a strait?" Magellan decided to send two ships to explore.

On the fourth night, I suddenly heard "Boom!" "Boom!" "Boom!" Gunfire. Magellan hurried out to watch. It turned out that the two ships that were going to explore came back. They brought good news: the water in the waterway ahead is not fresh water, but salt water. Of course, this is the strait! Fire a gun to celebrate.

Magellan excitedly ordered the fleet to advance to the Strait. This strait is very narrow and winding. Sometimes, it suddenly widens and is surrounded by seaports. How can I get there? Only one more ship can be sent to detect. The bad guys in the fleet arrested the captain and then fled back to Spain with the ship.

Without news of the probe ship, Magellan could only explore the border with three ships in the strait. After sailing for 28 days, it was not until165438+1October 28th that the fleet reached the channel exit.

"ah! What a vast ocean! We finally meet you! " The crew are cheering.

Magellan, who has always been known for his composure and firmness, is wiping his tears with a handkerchief. It was he who opened up a route around the earth for people. To commemorate his achievements, people named this strait "strait of magellan", which is located in the south of Chile in South America, 52 degrees south latitude.

The fleet sailed in the ocean for 1 10 days, and it was calm, so they named this ocean "Pacific Ocean", which has been used ever since.

However, what awaits them is a more arduous voyage. They soon ran out of food and fresh water. People's belts, mice and sawdust in the cabin are all used to satisfy hunger. Many sailors suffered from scurvy because they could not eat fresh vegetables for a long time, and 19 of them died. Magellan said without hesitation: "Even if all the cowhide on the ship is eaten up, we still have to move forward!"

152 1 On April 7th, 2008, the global fleet led by Magellan crossed the vast Pacific Ocean and finally reached the Philippine Islands. The first place they arrived was Cebu Island in the Philippines. At that time, the sailors were so excited that they couldn't wait to draw a cross on the ground as soon as they landed, claiming that the island belonged to the king of Spain. Then they tried to force the local aboriginal leaders to convert to Christianity, and then tried to force the aborigines on several islands around Cebu Island to yield, but they were all rejected. Magellan then decided to send troops to attack Marktan Island, where the resistance was strong, to show the "prestige" of the conqueror.

But the local aborigines resisted stubbornly, and they fought back with javelins and bows and arrows. In the melee, Magellan was killed by an arrow at the age of 4 1. After his death, his companions continued to complete the final journey of sailing around the world.

1522 On September 6th, when the Victoria, the last of Magellan's global fleet, returned to Seville, Spain, the whole of Europe was a sensation. This was the first time that mankind had completed the voyage around the world. But as the planner and leader of this feat, Magellan did not see this day. Navigation and exploration made him famous, and colonial conquest doomed his tragic ending. But Magellan's voyage around the world proved that the earth is round with conclusive facts, which is an indelible feat in the history of navigation and even in the history of science.