exploration Flashcards
1
Q
what did Francis Drake do
A
circumnavigated the world between 1577 and 1580
2
Q
why did Drake become a privateer
A
- made on the first voyages to Africa to capture people as slaves to sell in the ‘New World’ of america
- sold slaves at a spanish port
- were betrayed and got attacked by spanish warships
3
Q
how did new technology make ships faster and easier to steer
A
lateen (triangular sails)
4
Q
what made sailing through hostile waters much safer
A
improved defences and weapons
5
Q
what did the astrolabe do
A
allowed sailors to judge how far north or south they were
6
Q
how many ships did Drake start and end with
A
started with 5 ships and 164 men
ended with one ship
7
Q
the age of trade
A
- actions of explorers increased queens and country’s income
- real prize lay in trade - buying and selling the goods
- before elizabeth’s reign, the majority of trade was with other european countries
-> people began to look further east where spices could be brought
-> initially you had to go through a middle man - someone who brought the spices then sold them to europe making a hugh profit
-> england was keen to find routes around to cut of the middleman
8
Q
trade with the east:
A
- several attempts were made to find a direct route to India and China
- in 1582, elizabeth sent Ralph Fitch to india and the far east and when he returned he told her trade was very much possible
- the east india company was established in 1600 to oversee this trade
- brought products to england that had rarely been seen before, like spices, silk and porcelain
9
Q
the human trade:
A
- in 1564, the queen authorised Drake and Hawkins to kidnap several hundreds of west africans
-> they were taken by ship to the south american coast where they were sold as slaves - throughout elizabeth’s reign, england’s involvement in the slave trade grew and many more slave traders made their fortunes
- demand grew for slaves to work in the americas and produce materials to be returned to england
10
Q
the new world:
A
- english and other european sailors crossed the atlantic ocean into the americas
- there voyages were about gaining wealth, influence and establishing colonies
11
Q
raleigh’s new world:
A
- in 1584, elizabeth gave sir walter raleigh permission to explore, colonise and rule any land that was not already ruled by a christian
- in return he had to give the queen 1/5 of the gold and silver he found there
- aim was to increase england’s influence and gain the country more wealth
- raleigh did not sail for north america himself, but send other to form the first english colony in what is now the USA
- a colony was established at Roanoke but did not last
- a second was established in 1587 and seemed set to succeed
-> however, when the colonists leader John White, returned after a trip to England, the other colonists had disappeared
-> only clue was the word ‘croatoan’ carved into a tree, the name of a local tribe - it was not until James I (elizabeth’s successor) that a successful colony would be established
12
Q
how successful were the voyages in increasing wealth for england
A
- by raiding spanish ships and ports, Drake brought back riches to england
- sailors like Hawkins made his fortune and added to the country’s wealth by trading african slaves
- england built the foundations of the great trading empire it became
-> many trading companies established under elizabeth became very important in the following century
13
Q
how successful were the voyages in increasing power for england
A
- english naval power was a growing force under elizabeth
- was clear england could hold its own in any sea battle and was able to exert its influence over many weaker countries
14
Q
how successful were the voyages in increasing territory for england
A
- england failed its first attempt to build a colony in america
- other countries beat england in the race to colonise south america
- english explorers and settlers persevered and over the next few centuries england began to build up more and more territory oversea
