Which explorer is credited with the first voyage to circumnavigate the globe?

• A. Ferdinand Magellan
• B. Christopher Columbus
• C. Sir Francis Drake
• D. Vasco da Gama

Answer: (A)

The idea being tested is who first demonstrated that a voyage could go all the way around the globe. Ferdinand Magellan led the expedition that set out in 1519 with the aim of reaching the Spice Islands by heading west. Although Magellan himself did not survive the journey, his fleet continued and eventually returned to Spain under the command of Juan Sebastián Elcano in 1522. That completed the first circumnavigation, proving the world could be traversed by sea and reshaping European understanding of geography.

Columbus opened up transatlantic exploration but did not sail around the world. Vasco da Gama chartered a direct sea route to India by sailing around Africa, not circumnavigating. Francis Drake did complete a circumnavigation later, becoming famous for that feat, but it came after Magellan’s voyage and is not the first instance in history.