Elizabethan Sailors

• Elizabeth's reign was an exciting time to be a sailor. Developments in navigation and ship-building were finally opening up the oceans and enabling explorers to discover the world beyond Europe.
• The English were slow to take an interest in exploration

  . The Portugese and Spanish were the first to explore the world beyond Europe. In the 1400s, their fleets began to set out on voyages of discovery to Africa, the Americas and Asia. By the time Elizabeth became queen in 1558, both Portugal and Spain had established many colonies in the Americas.

  . However, it was only from the 1560s that English sailors began to take an interest in global exploration and set out on their own voyages of discovery.
• Who took part in the transatlantic slave trade?

  John Hawkins
• Why was Spanish trade with its colonies attractive to English privateers?

  It was very profitable
• What were English privateers hoping to achieve by trading with Spain's colonies?

  Profit from trade and raids
• Who was the first English privateer to join the transatlantic slave trade?

  John Hawkins
• How many slave-trading voyages did John Hawkins make in the 1560s?

  Three voyages
• Where did John Hawkins buy enslaved people for his voyages?

  West Africa
• To whom did John Hawkins sell the enslaved people he bought?

  Spanish colonies
• What was the impact of Hawkins' actions on England and Spain's relationship?

  It fueled tensions between the two
• What happened to Hawkins' fleet during the battle of San Juan de Ulua?

  Most of his fleet was destroyed
• In which decade did English merchants start looking for routes to Asia?

  From the 1570s
• What was the name of the route English merchants sought around North America?

  North West passage
• Who sailed to India around the Cape of Good Hope in 1591?

  James Lancaster
• What significant company was established in 1600 to trade with Asia?

  East India Company
• What were the key events in John Hawkins' involvement in the transatlantic slave trade?

  • Participated in the transatlantic slave trade
  • Made three voyages in the 1560s
  • Bought enslaved people in West Africa
  • Sold them to Spanish colonies
  • Confronted by Spanish ships at San Juan de Ulua
• What were the broader implications of English privateers' actions in the 1560s?

  • Increased tensions between England and Spain
  • Shifted focus towards Asian trade routes
  • Led to the establishment of the East India Company
• What navigational techniques did the Portuguese and Spanish develop?

  Better navigational techniques using stars and the Sun
• What instrument did sailors use to navigate by the stars or the Sun?

  A sea astrolabe
• What year was 'The Art of Navigation' translated into English?

  1561
• Who authored 'The Art of Navigation'?

  Martin Cortes
• What did 'The Art of Navigation' provide to English sailors?

  Detailed information on navigating the Atlantic
• What did the English begin to build from the 1570s?

  Larger, longer ships
• Why were the larger ships built in the 1570s better-suited for long ocean voyages?

  They were faster, more stable, and easier to navigate
• What advantage did larger ships have regarding cargo?

  They could carry larger cargoes for profit
• What innovation helped sailors estimate their speed more accurately from the 1570s?

  The log and line
• Who invented the backstaff in the 1590s?

  John Davis
• How did the backstaff compare to the sea astrolabe?

  It was easier to use and more accurate
• What improvements were made in map-making during this period?

  Maps and naval charts became more detailed and reliable
• One of the most significant sailors of the Elizabethan era was Francis Drake. Drake is perhaps best remembered for sailing all the way around the world, which was a tremendous feat at the time.
• Who was the second man to sail around the world?

  Francis Drake
• What was Francis Drake's relationship to John Hawkins?

  They were cousins
• How many transatlantic slave-trading expeditions did Drake travel with Hawkins?

  Two expeditions
• What was Drake's primary mission between 1577 and 1580?

  To circumnavigate the world
• Why did Drake probably not intend to sail around the world?

  He was sent to explore South America
• What was Drake looking for during his exploration of South America?

  Opportunities for English colonisation and trade
• What did Drake do while exploring the South American coastline?

  He raided many Spanish settlements
• What valuable items did Drake capture in the Pacific?

  Two Spanish treasure ships
• Why did Drake have to return by a different route?

  The Spanish were blocking his original route
• Which route did Drake take to return to England?

  He sailed west across the Pacific