Final answer:
Ferdinand Magellan is credited as the first to circumnavigate the Earth, even though he died during the journey, and only a small fraction of his crew completed the voyage.
Step-by-step explanation:
The first person credited with circumnavigating the earth, even though he died on the journey, was Ferdinand Magellan. Commissioned by the Spanish Crown, Magellan's expedition set out to find a trade route to Asia. In late 1520, his fleet entered the Pacific Ocean, revealing the true size of South America and the Pacific. Despite the successful voyage, Magellan did not survive the entire trip; he died in the Philippines. Nonetheless, his fleet continued and became the first to circumnavigate the globe, with only one ship and eighteen men returning to Spain in 1525.
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