Ferdinand Magellan was the first to circumnavigate the Earth. His expedition, which began in 1519 under the Spanish flag, aimed to find a westward route to the Spice Islands. Magellan and his crew sailed through the Strait of Magellan at the southern tip of South America and eventually reached the Philippines, where Magellan was killed in 1521. Despite this setback, his expedition continued under Juan Sebastián Elcano, ultimately returning to Spain in 1522. This monumental journey provided valuable insights into global geography, demonstrating the vastness of the Earth and connecting distant cultures through exploration.