Magellan and Da Gama - Clint Twist

The books in this series look at explorers whose discoveries helped to change the world, and together they chart 1000 years of seafaring, exploration and discovery. Each book describes the background to these journeys, focusing on the economic pressures and technological advances which combined to make them possible. The books also examine the native societies that the explorers encountered, and assesses the long-term impact of their discoveries at home and abroad.;The 15th century was the great age of seafaring explorers and Ferdinand Magellan and Vasco da Gama, both Portuguese were two of the greatest of these and are profiled in this book. Magellan was the first European to sail the Pacific Ocean, and one of his ships was the first to circumnavigate the world. Da Gama discovered the sea route from Portugal to India around the Cape of Good Hope. Their success helped Portugal to develop a trading empire in the East, and Spain to become a world superpower.;The horizon boxes at the end of some chapters list people, places and events which readers can research to find out more about the period.