Nearly 500 years ago, on September 20, 1519, five ships sailed from Spain. As the ships set out, only one man knew their goal. Magellan hoped to find a passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean in order to shorten the journey to the Spice Islands. In those days, the ships had no source of power except for wind and rowing. None of the ships had accurate maps or clocks. Using the stars for guidance, Magellan and his crews finally made it across the Atlantic to the coast of Brazil. But winter had come, so Magellan decided to stop the search until spring. When the winter had passed, Magellan and his men sailed south. 13 months after leaving Spain, Magellan found the passage he had been looking for. Thirty-eight days later, they reached the Pacific. Magellan wept at the sight. He called the sea Pacific, which means calm, peaceful. At last, they had reached the Philippine Islands. Sadly, Magellan was killed there during a battle. With their leader gone, the sailors’ spirits sank. But they sailed on and finally reached the Spice Islands. Three years and one month after leaving Spain, only one of the five ships reached home. Out of more than 200 men who set out, only 18 survived Although Magellan didn’t live to celebrate, he is remembered today as the leader of the first around-the-world journey in history. Many people believe that Magellan’s voyage was the most remarkable in history.