Which explorer initiated the expedition that completed the first circumnavigation of the globe?

• A. Christopher Columbus
• B. James Cook
• C. Ferdinand Magellan
• D. Vasco da Gama

Answer: (C)

Understanding who set in motion the expedition that completed the first circumnavigation helps you see how this historic journey came to be. Ferdinand Magellan is the figure who conceived the plan to reach the Spice Islands by sailing west and won the backing of the Spanish crown to launch the voyage. He began the expedition in 1519, commanding the fleet into the Atlantic, through the Pacific, and around the world. Although Magellan was killed in the Philippines, his crew, led by Juan Sebastián Elcano, carried on and completed the journey in 1522, making it the first full circumnavigation.

This is distinct from the other explorers: Columbus opened European contact with the Americas but did not circumnavigate the globe; Vasco da Gama reached India by sea but did not sail around the world; James Cook later accomplished successful circumnavigations, but not the first. The act of initiating the voyage—the proposal, sponsorship, and departure—belongs to Magellan, which is why he is the correct answer.