Trade and money rivalry

• Why did Elizabeth want to trade?

  What was the problem with trading?

  • to improve England's economy and to increase her power in the New World
  • America could provide them with Tobacco and sugar
  • however Spain controlled a lot of the New World and anyone who wanted to trade needed a license from Spain
• What did England do which cause problem between Spain?

  • many English merchants attacked Spanish ports and ships
  • Elizabeth supported privateers example Francis Drake
  • he made £40,000 from stealing from the Spanish silver making it hard to pay their troops in their Netherlands
• What did Francis Drake?

  • he took Spanish cargo and Elizabeth supported him which made Philip II angry
  • he was able to claim land in America which was called Albion
• What was the religious rivalry going on in Spain?

  • Spanish troops and the Duke of Alba were trying to fight against the Dutch protestant
  • privy council put pressure on Queen Elizabeth to try and help the Dutch
• Why did the Elizabeth not get involved?

  • as directly getting involved could cause a war with Spain
  • Spain had the support of the pope and he could have encourage the Catholics to rebel against Elizabeth
  • also could have cause France getting involved because they were Catholic
• So how did Elizabeth help the Dutch?

  • she sent money to the troops
  • encourage privateers to attach Spanish ships
  • promised the pacification of the Ghent (Rules like Spanish troops having to leave the Netherlands and that they should be in control of their own government)
• What happened after the Ghent of pacification was signed?

  • the Ghent was signed but 6 moths later the Spanish Army came to attack the Netherlands again
  • Elizabeth was hesitant to get involved as the Spanish had more powerful leaders like the Duke of Palmer
  • so they ask France for help
• Why was Elizabeth so hesitant to get involved during the second invasion of the Dutch?

  How did she get involve?

  • Spain and France were very powerful and were joined in the a treaty called the Treaty of Joinville
  • then Elizabeth finally decided to help the Dutch and sent in 74,000 troops
  • told Francis Drake to attack Cadiz which was a Spanish port
• What was the aim of the Spanish Armanda?1588

  • wanting to remove protestant heretics and Elizabeth from her throne
  • was angry that Elizabeth support the Dutch protestant
  • also because she supported Sir Francis Drake
• What was the Spanish's plan?


  • led by the Duke of Medina
  • 130 ships and 18000 men
  • they would sail into the English channel and meet up with the Duke of Parma
• What led to the failures of Spanish Armada?

  • bad communication- as the Duke of Palma was supposed to collect the Duke of Palma troops
  • however messages were delayed and would take weeks to reach each other
  • so when Parma received the message that the Armada had reach the English channel he was not ready
• How did poor weather lead to the failure of the Spanish Armada?

  • it delayed the fleet from reaching England
  • so Spanish food had rotted
  • wind destroyed many ships as they tried to return home as they went around Scotland
  • so some troops died of salvation and less than half returned home
• How did the Spanish tatics lead to the failure of the Spanish Armada?

  • they used a crescent formation
  • and there tatics involved getting close to the enemy ships for the soldiers to board the England's ships
  • however English ships had canons which could go far so they were unable to get close
• How did the Spanish ships lead to the failure of the Spanish Armada?

  • the ships were slower because they were heavy
  • and it took long for them to fire their canons
• How did Drake's raid of cadiz lead to the failure of the Spanish Armada?

  • he stole barrel wood which was used to store food and water
  • it delayed the Spanish invasion for a year which allowed England to prepare
• How did the Battle of the Gravelines lead to the failure of the Spanish armada?

  • England sent fireships towards the Spanish ships which led to them to cut of their anchor and flee