Queen Elizabeth I and the wider world

Question 1

why in the 15th century were long sea voyages made possible

Answer 1

new navigational instruments like the compass.
fast, light ships that could be manoeuvred to catch the wind.
the invention of guns (for protection).

Question 2

Why did Elizabeth encourage exploration?

Answer 2

Naval power: As England is on an island, a powerful navy would be a good defence

Empire: Spain’s wealth from the New World meant that Elizabeth was keen for overseas territory.

Weakening Spain: Spain was a threat - Elizabeth feared they would get rid of her and replace her with a Catholic. Attacking Spain - and reducing its wealth - would reduce the threat.

Trade: In the 1550s, the cloth trade - England’s main trade for centuries - collapsed. Merchants needed new markets for their goods, and new goods to sell. They wanted a sea route to India or China, so they didn’t have to rely on overland merchants.

Question 3

what was the Muscovy Company. when was it founded. who did they trade with and what did they trade

Answer 3

it was founded in 1555. they traded furs and timber with Russia

Question 4

what was the Eastland Company. when was it founded. who did they trade with and what did they trade.

Answer 4

it was founded in 1581. and they traded timber, tar and canvas with Baltic

Question 5

what was the Levant Company. when was it founded. who did they trade with and what did they trade

Answer 5

it was founded in 1581. and they traded dyes, dried fruit, wine and silk with the Eastern Mediterranean

Question 6

what was the East India Company. when was it founded. who did they trade with and what did they trade.

Answer 6

it was founded in 1600. and they traded silk, cotton spices and tea with Indian and the Far East

Question 7

was England able to establish colonies

Answer 7

The English made several attempts to establish overseas colonies during Elizabeth’s reign, but none of them were successful. One of the notable attempts was Roanoke.

Question 8

during the Elizabethan era what happened to the navy

Answer 8

The English navy grew, and English ships got better. English sailors become much better at sailing - and fighting - at sea. This didn’t just improve trade and exploration - it was vital in defeating the attack by the Spanish Armada in 1588.

By the end of Elizabeth’s reign, England was the greatest sea-power in the world – and it stayed that way until the 20th century.

Question 9

in 1572 what happened to weaken Spain

Answer 9

1572: Drake attacked Spanish ships loaded with silver from Peru and seized silver worth £20,000 - the equivalent of about £30 million today.

Question 10

in 1578 to 1579 what happened to weaken Spain

Answer 10

1578–79: Drake launched successful attacks on Spanish settlements and ships in the New World, bringing back gold, silver, jewels and silk, making a huge profit.

Question 11

who was Francis Drake

Answer 11

Francis Drake was the most famous seaman of Elizabeth reign. He is a controversial figure - some see him as a national hero, others as little more than a pirate

Question 12

what was Francis Drakes main achievements

Answer 12

Being the first Englishman to sail around the world, circumnavigating the globe between 1577 and 1580.
Helping defeat the Spanish Armada by attacking Cadiz in 1587 and delaying preparations. He was also vice-admiral during the Armada. He was proud of his impact during the Armada and boasted about it by saying he ‘singed the King of Spain’s beard’.
Launching successful attacks on the Spanish empire, bringing back gold, silver and jewels, making a huge profit.
Making valuable trading contacts with the Spice Islands.

Question 13

who was John Hawkins

Answer 13

John Hawkins was Francis Drake’s cousin. He was a navigator and slave trader

Question 14

what was John Hawkins main achievements

Answer 14

He developed a new type of fighting galleon which was faster, lighter and better able to withstand harsh weather conditions than ships in the Spanish fleet.
His innovative designs were important in helping to defeat the Spanish Armada.

Question 15

who was Walter Raleigh

Answer 15

Walter Raleigh was a famous sailor, explorer and courtier.

Question 16

what were Walter Raleighs achievements

Answer 16

The queen invested in his privateering expeditions against the Spanish. He wanted to establish colonies for Elizabeth in North America. The area was thought to have an inexhaustible supply of wine, oil, sugar and flax and would reduce England’s trading dependence upon Europe.

Question 17

In 1584, Elizabeth gave Walter Raleigh a charter, allowing him to form a colony in America. what did Raleigh and Elizabeth hoped that the colony would provide

Answer 17

provide riches from the New World

act as a base for disrupting Spanish treasure ships

Question 18

what happened when they tried to colonise Roanoke

Answer 18

Raleigh didn’t go to America himself, but he sent Philip Amadas and Arthur Barlowe to find a suitable site for a colony. They arrived on Roanoke Island in July 1584 and met the native tribes, the Secotans and the Croatans. Barlowe came back to England, bringing two Croatoan tribesmen, who told Raleigh all about the area. Raleigh thought it sounded good and sent a second expedition of five ships, led by Richard Grenville. Bad weather separated the ships, but eventually a group of settlers made their way to Roanoke. In August 1585, 107 colonists landed and constructed a fort on the island. Grenville promised to come back in April 1586 with more colonists and supplies, but the reinforcements didn’t arrive. Many of the colonists returned to England and brought back tobacco and potatoes with them, but some of them stayed behind.

In 1587, Raleigh sent another group of colonists to set up a colony on Chesapeke Bay and asked them to visit Roanoke and check on the settlers there. When they arrived, the settlement was deserted. They found a skeleton, but no sign of anyone.

Question 19

what were the 4 things that happened on Roanoke Island to make all the colonists to disappear

Answer 19

Relocation (White’s only clue was the word ‘Croatoan’ carved into a fence post. Did this mean the colonists had moved to Croatoan Island? The island was 50 miles from Roanoke), Conflict with local tribes (One theory is that the colonists were slaughtered by a local tribe), Integration with local tribes(Some historians believe that the settlers gave up on reinforcements coming from England, and integrated with local tribes) and the Spanish ( Some people believe that the colony was wiped out by the Spanish)

Question 20

who were the driving force behind trade with the East

Answer 20

English merchants were the driving force behind trade with the East. They were less interested in American colonies and more interested in spices like pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Spices were very important to the Elizabethans, as they were used to preserve meat and the prices charged by middlemen on the overland routes were high.

Question 21

who were the people who tired to navigate the dangerous North West passage

Answer 21

Martin Frobisher (1535-1594) tried to reach China by going round North America. He reached the Arctic and was driven back by snow and ice.

Humphrey Gilbert (1539-1583) also believed that there was a route around North America. His ship was hit by storms and he never returned.

John Davis (1550-1605) made three separate voyages looking for a northern route to China. Like Frobisher, he was driven back by the cold weather.

Question 22

who was the first person who was successful in navigating the dangerous North West passage

Answer 22

Although Francis Drake had reached the East Indies, the first person who established trade with the Spice Islands was James Lancaster. He took the southern route around Africa (capturing Portuguese trading ships along the way) and reached the East Indies, where he bought spices and valuable dyes used in the woollen industry. When he came back, the East India Company was set up to attract investors and in 1600, Lancaster took the first of the Company’s fleets to modern day Indonesia. He met with local leaders and made alliances and set up trading posts.

The East India Company grew under later monarchs and became very important and prosperous.

Question 23

who was the one of the first sailer to visit India

Answer 23

One of the first English sailors to visit India was Ralph Fitch. He was a merchant who spent eight years travelling around the Middle East, India and Burma.

Question 24

who was Dr John Dee

Answer 24

he was the brains behind the Elizabethan exploration. this was shown in the fact that he argued that the Englishman should search for new northern routes to the rich markets of china and the East Indies. and dee also presented his vision of a great empire ruled by Elizabeth stretching across the northern Atlantic. and dee also produced a Mao and books to justify the colonisation of North America and he argued that the Atlantic voyages of John and Sebastian cabot after 1497 gave Elizabeth a claim on America

Question 25

what was Francis drakes voyage from 1577 to 1580

Answer 25

this was when drake made several expeditions to the Caribbean where he plundered Spanish ship and attacked their settlements. and in 1577 he began the voyage which would take hime to the furthest part of the Spanish empire and the plan was to sail around South America seeking opportunities for trade and plunder in Chile and Peru before returning to England via the same route however Drakes journey did not entirely work out as planned

Question 26

what were the key dates of Francis drakes voyage

Answer 26

November 1577- drake sailed from Plymouth with five ships and around 170 mean. he began his voyage by plundering small Spanish and Portuguese ships of the coast of West Africa. spring and summer 1578- Drakes fleet arrived in Brazil and sailed south, in August they entered the strait of Magellan as the tip of South America. Drake claimed several islands for the queen before sailing into the pacific (where no English sailors had been there before. winter 1578 to 1579- Drake travelled north along the coast of Chile and Peru. he raided several native settlements and attacked Spanish ships carrying gold and silver. June 1579- drake landed on the coast of California. he claimed the territory for Queen Elizabeth calling it ‘New Albion’. summer 1579- drake feared that if he returned to England by the same route he would be attacked by Spanish ships. he therefore made the decision to sail west across the pacific. in Moluccas (spice islands) he traded linen cloth for cloves, ginger and pimento. he then mad the long journey home via the cape of good hope. September 1580- Drake returned to England. his ship was packed with vast quantities of pillaged treasure. most of this was used to pay investors and to boost the queens treasury but Drake was allowed to keep some for himself. April 1581- the queen knighted drake on board the golden hind. the king of Spain was furious as he though of drake as little more than a pirate. drake saw himself as a good protestant as patriotic Englishman and a man who had earned his wealth through bravery and skill

Question 27

who was Humphrey Gilbert

Answer 27

in 1578 Queen Elizabeth granted Gilbert permission to Calvin territory in North America. five year later Gilbert sailed for America. In august 1583 he took possession of Newfoundland for the queen but ailed to establish a settlement there. Gilbert drowned on the return journey

Question 28

who was Walter Raleigh

Answer 28

between 1584 and 1587 Walter Raleigh funded three expeditions across the Atlantic in order to establish England first colony in Virginia. none of these attempts to set up a colony succeeded but they produced useful knowledge of North America. In 1607 four years after Elizabeth reign had ended as successful colony was finally established at Jamestown in Virginia. in 1594 Raleigh led an expedition to Guiana in search of EL dorado ‘the city of gold’. he found no gold mines in South America and returned to England disappointed

Question 29

who was Ralph Fitch

Answer 29

in 1583 Ralph Fitch and other London merchants sailed to Syria and then made a 3000 mile journey to India. this was the first attempt to establish trading links between England and the Mughal empire. The Portuguese were already established in India and the English merchants made little progress, but Fitch had gained useful knowledge

Question 30

who was James Lancaster

Answer 30

in 1591 Lancaster led a fleet of three ships around the cape of good hope to the East Indies seeking opportunities for trade. he was unsuccessful. he pillaged many ships but returned home in 1594 without establishing trade links to the East. in 1600 the queen gave a charter to the East India company to develop trade in the East. Lancaster was given command of the company first fleet which left England in April 1601. the expedition established Englands first successful trading factory in the East

Question 31

what was Gilberts 1583 expedition

Answer 31

Humphrey Gilberts fleet of five ships sailed from Plymouth on the 11th June 1583. seven weeks later he glimpsed the land he has spent much of his life dreaming about. Gilberts fleet had arrived in the harbour of St Johns Newfoundlands. several English, Spanish and Portuguese vessels were already at the harbour that had been used by European fisherman for decades. Gilbert took possession of Newfoundlands for Queen Elizabeth by digging a piece of turf and erecting a post with the arms of England engraved in lead and to celebrate he invited the fisherman to a feast. the Spanish and Portuguese brought wines, marmalade and biscuits. when Gilbert seemed ungrateful, they soon returned with salmon, trout and lobster. Humphrey Gilbert had made Englands first claim to territory in eastern North America but he failed to establish a colony. Newfoundland was cold and barren, food was scarce and some of Gilberts men became ill. he sailed his fleet south but on of his ships were wrecked on newfoundlands rocky coast and 80 men died. those remaining were desperately short of supplies and Insisted on returning home. on the journey across the Atlantic the fleet faced violent storms. Gilbert refused to leave fleet faced violent storms where Gilbert refused to leave his overloaded little ship the ‘Squirrel’ and then subsequently on the 9th September 1583 the ship sank and Humphrey drowned

Question 32

what was the reconnaissance voyage in 1584

Answer 32

in April 1584 Raleigh sent his friends, Philip Armadas and Arthur Barlow on two small vessels to explore the coast of North America. in early July they reached an island called Roanoke where they made contact with the local Algonquian people. the reconnaissance voyage of 1584 convinced Raleigh that Roanoke would be a good place for an English colony. to persuade the queen to invest in the colony he asked his friend Richard Hakluyt to write a pamphlet, Hackluyt argued that colonisation would allow Englishmen to spread the word of God in America. he listed the many products which could be obtained in North America and suggested that it would provide a good market for English goods. Most important of all a base in North America would allows the English to attack the Spanish treasure ships which financed catholic aggression in Europe. Raleigh’s propaganda worked and in 1585 he began preparations for the colony at Roanoke

Question 33

what was Raleighs expeditions to Guiana in 1595

Answer 33

in the early 1590s Raleigh planned an expedition to the region of Guiana in South America. he dreamed of finding huge quantities of gold in the fabled city of Manoa which the Spanish called ‘EL Dorado’. Rayleigh’s 1595 expedition did not discover gold in Guiana by in 1596 he published his ‘discovery of the large rich and beautiful empire of Guiana’

Question 34

where was cinnamon found and what was it used for

Answer 34

cinnamon was obtained from the bark of a tree mostly grown in Ceylon (Sri Lanka). The elizabethan mainly used it to flavour desserts

Question 35

where was ginger found and what was it used for

Answer 35

ginger was used in sweet dishes and drinks. The Elizabethans also used it as a medicine for digestive problems

Question 36

where was pepper found and what was it used for

Answer 36

pepper was the most popular spice of wealthy Elizabethans. it was a luxury item used for flavouring foods

Question 37

where was nutmeg found and what was it used for

Answer 37

nutmeg was grown in the Moluccas (spice island). ground or grated nutmeg was used to flavour a wide range of dishes in Elizabethan England

Question 38

where was cloves found and what was it used for

Answer 38

cloves were highly prized for flavouring meat and fruit dishes. they were also used as a fragrance and a cure for toothache

Question 39

what was the trade with the east in the 1580s

Answer 39

in the 1580s the increasing wealth of the Elizabethan gentry and middling sort led to a growing demand for luxury products from the East. English merchants were keener than ever to import silk, cotton, jewels and perfumes from the markets of East Asia and they also new they could make a huge profit from the trade of spices the spices were very important because they were crucial for preserving and flavouring food

Question 40

what was the first east India company voyage from 1601 to 1603

Answer 40

on September 22nd 1600 over a hundred of Londons leading merchants met at founders hall to form a company that they hoped would transform Englands trade in the east. furthermore the merchants knew all too well that the attempts to establish a colony in North America had failed because they had failed to find a northern passage to the East. James Lancaster was chosen to command the four ships which formed the east India company first expedition in 1601. when James Lancaster arrived back in England in September 1603 Queen Elizabeth had been dead for six months. no overseas empire had been established in her reign but Lancaster’s voyage of 1601 to 1603 was an important moment in the world history