TOPIC FOUR

• Capture of Spanish treasure ship Nuestra Senora by Francis Drake, providing enough gold for Elizabeth I to pay off the national debt


  1578
• Britain defeats Spain's much bigger navy, the "Armada", saving Elizabeth's England from invasion


  1588
• Jamestown in Virginia becomes the first successful British colony in the Americas, providing land to grow cash crops like cotton and tobacco


  1607
• Privateer


  Private sea captain given permission by a government to raid and capture enemy ships
• Plantation


  Large farm that specialised in growing a single cash crop such as sugar, for export
• Slave trade

  Three-part trading journey where goods were swapped for slaves in Africa, these slaves were then swapped for other goods such as sugar in the Americas, and finally these goods were brought to Britain and sold for money
• Royal African Company


  The royal monopoly company set up in the 1600s to trade in slaves, running ships without permission
• Catholic


  Christian who is loyal to the Catholic Church headed by the Pope in Rome
• Puritans

  hardline protestant Christians, persecuted in England
• African slaves introduced to British plantations for the first time


  1619
• First plantations set up in the West Indies, in Barbados


  1625
• Treaty of Utrecht awards Britain the Asiento, giving them the right to supply all of Spain's colonies with slaves, helping Britain become the world's biggest slave trader


  1713
• In the years 1690-1807, an estimated 11,000 British ships took slaves to the Americas
• Better ships and improved navigational technology like the astrolabe and compass allowed long distance travel, while the Americas contained lots of land for settlers to grow in-demand cash crops like tobacco, cotton and sugar for large profits. Many settlers were also from religious groups like Puritans and Catholics that faced persecution in Britain, and found great religious freedom in the Americas.
• 11,000 British ships took slaves to Americas


  1690
• 1787 Estimated 6 million Africans transported into slavery
• CharlesI


  Stuart ruler of Britain 1625-49
• JamesI


  Stuart ruler of Britain 1603-25
• Technology


  • Better ships and refined navigational technology like the astrolabe and compass allowed long distance travel
• Cash crops


  • The Americas contained lots of land. Settlers could grow in demand cash crops like tobacco, cotton and sugar for large profits
• Religious factors


  • Many settlers were from religious groups like Puritan and Catholic that faced persecution in Britain. In the Americas they had great religious freedom.
• Elizabeth I


  Tudor ruler of Britain
• Elizabeth I


  1558-1603
• Francis Drake


  Privateer and explorer who captured high treasure fleets from Spain
• Themes/Factors


  • Technology
  • Economic resources
  • Religion
  • Government
  • Ideas
• Technology


  • New navigation techniques and better ships allowed long distance journeys that led to discovery of new lands and then long distance trade
• Economic resources


  • British attracted to Americas first to steal gold and silver from the Spanish. Later on made bitter profits by sending settlers and establishing plantations on which cash crops like sugar, tobacco and coffee were grown. Slavery made huge profits for Britain
• Government


  • Elizabeth policies supported "privateers to raid and attack Spanish colonies and ships. Later on government sponsored and militarily supported settlement schemes e Jamestown that led to the growth of colonies and plantations
• Ideas


  • Growth of imperialist ideology that justified colonisation as a British duty. Also growth of racist ideas as British sought ways to justify trading and enslaving Africans and depriving Native Americans of their lands in the New World.
• Short-term


  • Profits: Enormous profits made for privateers like S Francis Drake-10-15% of Spain's treasure fleets were captured. Slave traders We the Royal African Company made huge profits for shareholders like Charles II and his brother James.
  • Jobs: Huge numbers of jobs in Britain itself relied on trade with Americas and slavery. Included ship builders, bankers, dockworkers, textile factories and shop owners.
  • British power: Policies of privateering and then colonisation meant Britain able to overtake Spain in the Americas in the 17th century.
• Long-term


  • Overseas Empire: The basis for Britain's overseas empire were established. Coloniation and trade led to the growth of the navy and Britain's economic and military power. By 15 century Britain was world's leading empire.
  • Profits of slavery: Slavery and profits of empire led to the growth of English cities Vike Bristol, Liverpool and Glasgow. To this day large numbers of buildings built on profits of slavery such as the National Portrait Gallery in London.
  • Racism: Colonisation and slavery led to growth of racism and sense of superiority in Britain over non-European peoples
• 1492


  Columbus discovers the Americas
• 1496


  Cabot discovers the coast of North America "Newfoundland"
• 1562

  Sir John Hawkins becomes Britains first slave trader transporting African slaves to Spanish colonies
• 1625


  First plantations set up in Barbados