1842 - Map of the earliest US naval expedition to the Moro Sultanates of Sulu and Mindanao. Foreign ship commanders had to recieve protection and permission to sail the seas controlled by the Moros. Americans and their merchant ships travelled to Sulu previously and were asked to trade within the Moro territories by the Sultan. The map depicts the track of the U.S. Exploring Expedition led by Lt. Charles Wilkes, commander of the U.S. ships Vincennes and Flying Fish. The two nations entered a trade agreement following the voyage. Moro Royalty ruled the seas around Luzon, Palawan, the Visayas, Borneo and Mindanao for hundreds of years.