April 27

Born in 1480 in northern Portugal, Ferdinand Magellan became one of the most famous explorers of the Age of Discovery. He proposed to reach the Spice Islands by sailing west and received support from King Charles I of Spain. In 1519, he set sail with five ships, navigating unknown waters and discovering the strait that now bears his name. After crossing the Pacific Ocean, he reached the Philippines, where he was killed in a local conflict in 1521. Although he did not survive the voyage, his expedition, completed by Juan Sebastián Elcano, achieved the first circumnavigation of the globe.

Born in New Jersey in 1779, Zebulon Pike graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1806. He led two major expeditions: one to explore the upper Mississippi River and another to map the southwestern territories. During his second expedition, he reported the mountain now known as Pike's Peak in present-day Colorado. He served as a brigadier general in the War of 1812 and was mortally wounded during the American victory at the Battle of York. He died on April 27, 1813, becoming a symbol of early American exploration and frontier spirit.