Prompt:
In a well-crafted paragraph that uses evidence drawn from Over the Edge of
the World, answer one of the following questions:
● Was Magellan’s voyage a success or a failure?
● Was Magellan a good leader?
Response:
Ferdinand Magellan’s voyage was ultimately a success, despite the enormous cost in
human lives and the fact that Magellan himself did not survive the journey. As
documented in Over the Edge of the World, Magellan set out from Spain in 1519
with a fleet of five ships and over 270 men, seeking a western sea route to the
Spice Islands. Though only one ship and 18 men completed the full
circumnavigation, the expedition achieved several groundbreaking accomplishments.
It was the first voyage to prove that circumnavigating the globe was possible,
offering concrete evidence that the Earth is round. The expedition also led to the
European discovery and naming of the Pacific Ocean and established a new
maritime route to Asia by navigating through the treacherous strait at the
southern tip of South America, now called the Strait of Magellan. Despite mutinies
and deadly storms—chronicled in the book as moments when Magellan had to assert
strict control, famously declaring, “This was not a democracy, it was an armada, and
he was the admiral” (p. 255)—his leadership kept the mission intact long enough to
reach its key goals. Furthermore, the voyage expanded European geographical
knowledge, introduced them to new species like penguins and llamas, and set the
stage for future exploration and colonization. While Magellan’s death in the
Philippines during an unnecessary battle shows the flaws in his ambition and
leadership, the overall legacy of the voyage—scientific, economic, and
In a well-crafted paragraph that uses evidence drawn from Over the Edge of
the World, answer one of the following questions:
● Was Magellan’s voyage a success or a failure?
● Was Magellan a good leader?
Response:
Ferdinand Magellan’s voyage was ultimately a success, despite the enormous cost in
human lives and the fact that Magellan himself did not survive the journey. As
documented in Over the Edge of the World, Magellan set out from Spain in 1519
with a fleet of five ships and over 270 men, seeking a western sea route to the
Spice Islands. Though only one ship and 18 men completed the full
circumnavigation, the expedition achieved several groundbreaking accomplishments.
It was the first voyage to prove that circumnavigating the globe was possible,
offering concrete evidence that the Earth is round. The expedition also led to the
European discovery and naming of the Pacific Ocean and established a new
maritime route to Asia by navigating through the treacherous strait at the
southern tip of South America, now called the Strait of Magellan. Despite mutinies
and deadly storms—chronicled in the book as moments when Magellan had to assert
strict control, famously declaring, “This was not a democracy, it was an armada, and
he was the admiral” (p. 255)—his leadership kept the mission intact long enough to
reach its key goals. Furthermore, the voyage expanded European geographical
knowledge, introduced them to new species like penguins and llamas, and set the
stage for future exploration and colonization. While Magellan’s death in the
Philippines during an unnecessary battle shows the flaws in his ambition and
leadership, the overall legacy of the voyage—scientific, economic, and
