Spanish Armada

Question 1

When did the Armada set sail?

Answer 1

28th May 1588 from Lisbon

Question 2

What happened soon after they set off?

Answer 2

They were hit by a storm and forced to harbour in Corunna and undertake repairs on 19th June 1588

Question 3

What happened on 29th July 1588?

Answer 3

The Armada was sighted by Englishmen in Cornwall and the warning beacons were lit

Question 4

What was significant about the crescent formation adopted by the Spanish?

Answer 4

Armada sailed in a crescent formation;
As it made it difficult for the English to attack
Slow unarmed store ships were protected by heavily armed galleons

Question 5

What happened at Plymouth?

Answer 5

Lord Howard of Effingham, Drake and Hawkins sailed out to Plymouth to pursue Armada for a week.
Engaged in many fights but never broke the crescent formation

Question 6

What did Elizabeth do on 9th August 1588?

Answer 6

Elizabeth delivered an inspirational speech to her sailors at Tilbury (north of England) encouraging
them to fight against the invasion

Question 7

What happened during last part of the journey?
From 9th August to October

Answer 7

9th August wind changed direction and forced to sail through North Sea past Scotland and Ireland to get to Spain.
Poor maps and weather led to 2 ships being destroyed off Scotland and 25 off the coast of Ireland.
Only 67 Spanish ships returned to Spain full of wounded sick and starving men

Question 8

What happened on August 8th 1588?

Answer 8

English battleships attacked scattered armada at the Battle of Gravelines near Dunkirk

Question 9

How long did the attack happen on the 8th August 1588?

Answer 9

Lasted 8 hours until English ran out of munitions

Question 10

What did the attack on 8th August cause?

Answer 10

3 Spanish ships were lost - no English ones
1000 Spanish sailors killed and 800 wounded - 50 English sailors killed
Duke or Parma’s army unable to join - battle of Gravelines gave the English navy some breathing space

Question 11

What happened to Calais on 6th of August?

Answer 11

Armada anchored of Calais - Duke of Medina Sidonia was waiting for Duke of Parma and his army + but they’d been delayed for a week
Lord Howar took advantage of this and launched an attack

Question 12

What happened in the 7th August 1588?

Answer 12

Eagling filled 8 unarmed ships with gunpowder loaded cannons and set fire to them as they drifted towards Spanish fleet
When they saw the fire ships they cut their ropes and broke crescent formation

Question 13

How many supply ships/galleons did the Spanish have?

Answer 13

130

Question 14

How many men did the Spanish have ?

Answer 14

30,000 onboard (8000 sailors, 19000 troops, 3000 servants, 180 friars and priests)
17,000 well trained troops form Netherlands led by Duke of Parma

Question 15

How many cannons did Spanish have?

Answer 15

1,900 and 123,790 cannon balls
Extensive supplies of food and drink too

Question 16

What had the English positioned along the coast?

Answer 16

A line of warning beacons lit once Armada was sighted
Army of 20,000 men split into 3 positions they were most likely to land
England’s navy was strong - Lord of Effingham, Francis Drake and Hawkins
English battleships were light and fast with long range canons

Question 17

How many merchant ships were converted into battleships?

Answer 17

140

Question 18

Why Armada failed?

Answer 18

English Strengths
Spanish Weaknesses
Tactics
Weather

Question 19

What were English strengths?

Answer 19

English strengths:
• English ships were smaller, faster and more manoeuvrable;
• English ships had heavier firepower because of superior long
range cannons;
• Spanish ships were larger and more bulky .

Question 20

What were Spanish weaknesses?

Answer 20

Spanish weaknesses:
• Spanish cannons were ineffective - many exploded when fired!
• Spanish commander, Duke of Medina Sidonia was not
experienced at fighting at sea;
• Duke of Parma’s delay from Netherlands was costly;
• England’s Lord Howard, Drake and Hawkins were experts at
sea.

Question 21

What were tactics used by English?

Answer 21

Tactics:
• England’s use of ‘fireships’ to break the crescent formation meant that the Armada found it difficult tot recover.

Question 22

How did the weather affect the Armada

Answer 22

Weather:
• After the Battle of Gravelines, the scattered Spanish fleet was blown northwards into the North Sea which meant they would have to return to Spain by going round Scotland and Ireland;
• The seas round Scotland and Ireland were renowned for being rough;
• Spanish ships did not have enough food for this long voyage;
• Spanish sailors were struck down by sickness through
contaminated water.

Question 23

What were the results of the Armada?

Answer 23

War with Spain dragged on
Still an army under Parma’s control waiting in Netherlands
Phillip planed a second armada but it was driven back by weather
England continued to support Dutch Protestants
English sea dogs kept attacking Spanish treasure ships