Exploration

• What were the reasons for Elizabethans exploring?

  • Expanding trade

  • Triangular Trade

  • New navigation technology

  • New maps

  • New ships

  • Francis Drake

  • Adventure
• Reason for exploration - Expanding trade


  • Merchants needed to look for more trading opportunities as conflict with Spain and the Netherlands had hit traditional wool and cloth trade

  • Vital to find new markets as cloth exports were heavily relied on

  • Reports from America suggested there was an abundance of crops, animal skins and precious metals

  • Hopes of finding riches like Spain

  • Elizabeth funded many voyages of discovery
• Reason for exploration - Triangular Trade


  • Hawkins was a famous navigator and explorer who brought back ginger, sugar and pearls

  • 1562 - selling African slaves to Spanish colonists in the USA
• Reason for exploration - Adventure


  • Rich, young Elizabethan men went for the adventure

  • They liked the idea of being heroes and discovering the unknown
• Reason for exploration - Navigation


  • Navigation became more accurate so sailing became safer

  • Mathematical ways of navigation made it more reliable

  • Quadrants and astrolobes could calculate a ship's position
• Reason for exploration - Maps


  • Longitude and latitude created on maps to make sure sailors followed the same direction

  
  

  • Printing maps made them all the same

  
  

  • Books about voyages could be guides to other explorers
• Reason for exploration - Ships


  • Galleons were much bigger and could carry a bigger cargo over longer journeys

  • Improved sails

  • Faster and more manoeuvrable galleons

  • Better fire power for galleons
• Reason for exploration - Francis Drake


  • Others wanted to achieve what he did

  • Drake was knighted for his achievements

  • Drake had become rich