I.
CONTENT ANALYSIS
TITLE OF THE SOURCE FIRST VOYAGE AGE AROUND THE WORLD by ANTONIO
PIGAFETTA
A. BACKGROUND OR Known by the name of Antonio Lombardo or Francisco Antonio
BIOGRAPHY OF AUTHOR Pigafetta.
Born in Vincenza in northeast Italy around 1491.
He was a Venetian scholar and explorer.
He belonged to a rich family.
As an Italian scholar and explorer, He studied astronomy,
geography, and cartography in his youth.
He served on the board of ships of the Knights of Rhodes at the
beginning of 16th century.
Studied astronomy, geography and cartography and during his
younger years he worked in the ships owned by the Knight of
Rhodes.
Pigafetta was one of the 18 people in Magellan’s original crew
who completed the world’s first circumnavigation and
successfully returned to Spain.
The journal he kept during the journey serves as a primary source
for Magellans expedition.
Antonio Pigafetta died in year 1534 in the same country he was
born, the Vicenza, Italy.
B. REASONS OF WRITING The primary reason of the author namely Antonio Pigafetta in writing the
THE PRIMARY SOURCE narrative of the first Voyage Around the World was to inform, educate
and provides awareness to people about their journey and discoveries
during the expedition to the spice islands. Pigafetta’s genuine interest in
learning more about the world prompted him to take permission to
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Magellan to join the Voyage, to which Magellan consented. He managed
to wrote a journal throughout their journey and this document may serve
as a memoir of him and his journey. This chronicle he wrote will also
serves as the lens through which the voyage and circumnavigation of the
world can be apprehended. It specifically furnishes important details on
the discovery of the islands and the people inhabiting the place including
their clothes, food, accessories and their cultural life. Through the journal
written by Pigafetta, we are able to know how abundant and peaceful the
living of the Filipino’s great ancestors before.
C. HIGHLIGHTS OF THE
CONTENT DATES
MARCH 16, 521: arrival on Zamal (Samar) islands which described
by Pigafetta as a high island at a distance of three hundred leagues
from the Island of Ladroni (Theive’s Island).
MARCH 17, 1521: Captain Magellan wished to land at another
uninhabited area for a greater and assured security to acquire water
and to repose for few days.
MARCH 18, 1521: saw a boat coming towards with nine men;
encounter with the people of Zamal and gave gifts to each other as a
way of showing gratitude and people of Zamal even promised that
they would give rice, coconuts, and other foods within four days.
MARCH 22, 1521: men from Zamal returned and give them two
boats with coconuts, sweet oranges, a jar of palm wine, and a cock.
MARCH 29, 1521 (Holy Friday): the captain-general and the King
of Zamatra (an island we saw with a fire the night before), became
friends and gave him and his people food and some implements such
as knives and drobe that they brought that would be beneficial for the
people of Zamatra.
MARCH 31, 1521: The first mass was conducted.
APRIL 7, 1521 (Sunday): entered the port of Zubu
APRIL 8, 1521 (Monday): Traprobana (captain’s slave and
interpreter) went to Zubu to meet the king for an agreement to show
their sincerity to the king.
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APRIL 9, 1521 (Tuesday): the king came to the ships with the Moro
to meet the captain and make peace with him and encourage them to
became Christians.
OCTOBER 26, 1521 (Saturday): met a great storm while coasting
the island of Birabam Batolac. And luckily survived by the help of
the three saints they call through prayers.
SEPTEMBER 06, 1522 (Saturday): entered the bay of San Lucar.
SEPTEMBER 08, 1522 (Monday): cast anchor near the mole of
Seville.
SEPTEMBER 09, 1522 (Tuesday): visits the shrine of St. Maria de
Antigua in shirt and barefoot.
II. CONTEXTUAL ANALYSIS
TITLE OF THE SOURCE FIRST VOYAGE AGE AROUND THE WORLD by ANTONIO
PIGAFETTA
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A. MAIN ARGUMENT
Ferdinand Magellan led the expedition and discovered different
Islands mainly in te Philippines.
Political system and civilizations were already existed and practiced
even before the First Voyage around the World.
Magellan and his crew was the first ones who introduced Christianity
to Filipinos.
Even with the loss of men and Leader the crew still manage to fulfill
the goal of the expedition to the spice islands and returned home not
just with memories but also with histories.
B. BIAS Pigafetta is a one of the crew of the expedition of Magellan to the Spice
islands, he wrote a journal during their journey documenting the events
and happenings. But his chronicle highlighted the discovery of Philippine
Island including the people, clothes, foods, inhabitants, way of living,
culture and traditions. This explains the purpose or the reason why he
wrote this journal, to serve it as a documentary not just about their
journey but also the discoveries and experiences they had throughout the
Voyage.
C. IMPORTANCE IN
UNDERSTANDING Sometimes past is never just a past, sometimes it’s a history that needs
PHILIPPINE HISTORY to be remembered and passed throughout the generations. because
Understanding where you really from is more crucial than analyzing
where you are going as it guides you where you were going. Pigafetta’s
journal is simply a narrative representation of events occurred during the
expidition of Ferdinand Magellan to the Spice Islands or the First Voyage
around the world. His chronicle greatly impacted the economy, society,
values, culture and tradition even nowadays, as it includes not just
Magellan and his crew but also the people they encountered along the
way. Today, History still remains history but past is never be just past.
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