GlossariesGCSE GlossariesGCSE History GlossaryCircumnavigation

Circumnavigation - GCSE History Definition

Reviewed by: Zoe Wade

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Circumnavigation refers to the action of travelling all the way around the world, typically by ship or aircraft. In the context of GCSE History, it is particularly significant due to historic voyages such as Sir Francis Drake. Drake became the first Englishman to successfully circumnavigate the globe. He started his journey in 1577 and returned in 1580. It was a huge achievement at the time and helped England challenged the power of Spain, especially in the Americas. It also encouraged the development of better naval technology such as galleons, astrolabes and quadrants.

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Zoe Wade

Reviewer: Zoe Wade

Expertise: History Content Creator

Zoe has worked in education for 10 years as a teaching assistant and a teacher. This has given her an in-depth perspective on how to support all learners to achieve to the best of their ability. She has been the Lead of Key Stage 4 History, showing her expertise in the Edexcel GCSE syllabus and how best to revise. Ever since she was a child, Zoe has been passionate about history. She believes now, more than ever, the study of history is vital to explaining the ever-changing world around us. Zoe’s focus is to create accessible content that breaks down key historical concepts and themes to achieve GCSE success.

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