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The caravel (also spelled carvel) is a light sailing ship that that was developed by the Portuguese in the late 1400's, and was used for the next 300 years. The Portuguese developed this ship to help them explore the African coast.
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In one of their caravels, the Portuguese transport around 200 slaves from Africa to Portugal.
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The crew of the Santa María was paid the standard wage for a merchant ship on a yearlong voyage. Since the King and Queen of Spain were sponsoring the expedition, the crews were paid in gold.
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They sang songs while at sea. they sang songs that had to do with women and sadness at sea. Also about liquor and the sailors life. Some more were about the Tales of the Sea, Sailors, Ships and Watermen
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Seamen could be 'tarred and feathered', tied to a rope, swung overboard and ducked or 'keel-hauled'.
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The high-ranking members of the expedition, such as Captain Cook and Joseph Banks, had their own private cabins. But for others on the voyage the sailors slept mainly on the deck but really anywhere they could sleep.
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No bananas on board the ship cause they have long been thought to bring bad luck especially to ships. No women cause they would distract the sailors from their work.
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If a sailor did not do his work in a timely fashion, did not do it properly, or made mutinous comments, he was punished. Punishment usually consisted of flogging or whipping with a rope.
The number of flogs depended on the master and the crime. -
The circumnavigation expedition of Ferdinand Magellan sets out from San Lucar de Barameda. In December 1520, Magellan discovered the ocean which he named the Pacific. Magellan died in the Philipines, 27 April 1521. Only one of the five ships to set out returned to Spain, on 8 September 1522.
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A disease is Scurvy. Scurvy was caused by a lack of vitamin C in the diet. Not everyone recognised the discovery made by Sir Richard Hawkins in the late 16th century that daily doses of orange or lemon juice could prevent this terrible disease which rotted the skin and gums and caused teeth to fall out.
