How did the Elizabethan age of exploration affect Europe?
The Elizabethan period was one in which the major European powers were engaged in many voyages of discovery. The discovery of the Americas had opened up new lands to explore. There was a desire to find faster, more economical, routes to the far east. Explorers became famous and their work has had a lasting legacy.
Why did Queen Elizabeth encourage her country to explore?
Elizabeth had no income to support overseas exploration, but she encouraged it for a variety of reasons. First, she felt pressure to develop a trade empire to keep up with her European neighbors. Secondly, by the 1570s Spain's growing power and wealth had begun to threaten England.
Who were the Elizabethan explorers and colonizers?
Elizabethan Explorers and Colonizers. European exploration of other continents began well before the Elizabethan Era, the period associated with the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558–1603) that is often considered to be a golden age in English history.
What was the Elizabethan era known for?
The Elizabethan period came as exploration of the seas and New World was emerging as one of great importance. For centuries Europe had traded with the far east, though through middle-men. The discovery of the Americas and then the first circumnavigation of the globe made exploration of economic importance.
Why did the Elizabethans want to explore the world?
Kings and merchants encouraged these voyages because they wanted a more reliable source of luxury goods – and to find gold.
Why did Elizabeth encouraged exploration outside Europe during her reign?
Elizabeth had no income to support overseas exploration, but she encouraged it for a variety of reasons. First, she felt pressure to develop a trade empire to keep up with her European neighbors. Secondly, by the 1570s Spain's growing power and wealth had begun to threaten England.
How did Queen Elizabeth contribute to exploration?
In 1572, Elizabeth commissioned him to sail for the Americas. He sailed to present-day South America and Panama, raided Nombre de Dios, Panama, and returned to England with stolen Spanish gold and goods. In 1577, Elizabeth selected him to command the expedition that was to circumnavigate the globe.
Who were the Elizabethan explorers?
Who were some famous Elizabethan English explorers?Sir Francis Drake.Sir Walter Raleigh.Sir Humphrey Gilbert.Sir John Hawkins.Sir Richard Grenville.
Why was there an increase in exploration in 1558 1588?
'Improved navigational technology was the key reason for increased overseas exploration during the Elizabethan era'.
How did the Age of Exploration impact the world?
The Age of Exploration served as a stepping stone for geographic knowledge. It allowed more people to see and study various areas around the world, which increased geographic study, giving us the basis for much of the knowledge we have today.
Why were Elizabethans so worried about the poor?
The Elizabethan government was very worried about the problem of the poor, as were ordinary people. Disease – there were many outbreaks of plague and other infectious diseases in the 16th century. Many people believed that wandering groups of beggars spread diseases. Crime – beggars often turned to crime.
What discoveries were made during the Elizabethan era?
One of the greatest inventions made in this era was the printing press which was made by Johannes Gutenberg. It was able to get information out to many people at once. Other inventions made were the clock, microscope, telescope, eyeglasses, gunpowder, flushing toilets, submarine, the compass, wrench, and screwdriver.
What was Elizabeth 1 religion?
ProtestantShe was a Protestant, but kept Catholic symbols (such as the crucifix), and downplayed the role of sermons in defiance of a key Protestant belief. Elizabeth and her advisers perceived the threat of a Catholic crusade against heretical England.
When was the Elizabethan era?
November 17, 1558 – March 24, 1603Elizabethan era / Period
What did England do during the age of exploration?
Yet, by the end of the seventeenth century, England had become a powerful presence on the seas with a sphere of influence that had expanded to include settlements in North America, the West Indies, and India. While individual motives for exploration were mixed, the main impetus was economic—the search for riches.
What were Elizabeth 1 achievements?
During her reign, Elizabeth I established Protestantism in England; defeated the Spanish Armada in 1588; maintained peace inside her previously divided country; and created an environment where the arts flourished. She was sometimes called the "Virgin Queen", as she never married.
What English exploration colonization occurred during the reign of Elizabeth I?
In the 1570s and 1580s, Queen Elizabeth I granted royal permission to two Englishmen to colonise America. As Spain had laid claim to much of South and Central America, England's attention was directed to the eastern coast of North America.
What discoveries were made during the Elizabethan era?
One of the greatest inventions made in this era was the printing press which was made by Johannes Gutenberg. It was able to get information out to many people at once. Other inventions made were the clock, microscope, telescope, eyeglasses, gunpowder, flushing toilets, submarine, the compass, wrench, and screwdriver.
What continents did Europeans explore?
Since Italian explorer Marco Polo (1254–1324) first ventured to Asia in 1266, Europe had enjoyed the exotic merchandise and foods of the faraway lands of China (then called Cathay), India, and the Spice Islands (the Moluccas). For centuries Europeans traveled to these distant markets by land, but in the early 1400s, Middle Eastern natives denied Europeans access to the overland route. Unable to acquire valued goods, Europeans had but one option: to turn to the uncharted oceans. They embarked upon the most significant period of ocean exploration in history.
Why did Spain want to unify Europe?
As part of its mission to unify Europe under the Catholic Church, Spain sought to undermine the rule of the Protestant queen.
How did Mercator map the Earth?
Mercator made a map of the Earth that depicted the longitudinal meridians running parallel to each other, rather than converging on the two poles, as they do on a globe. Although Mercator's projection distorted the actual sizes of the different regions, its treatment of direction was highly accurate.
What was the most significant period of ocean exploration in history?
They embarked upon the most significant period of ocean exploration in history. England was a latecomer to overseas exploration. When Elizabeth (1533–1603) became queen in 1558, the island nation had no available routes for trading in Africa, Asia, or the New World, and it ruled no overseas colonies.
How much gold did Spain bring to Europe?
Between 1500 and 1650, historians estimate that Spain carried more than 180 tons of gold and 16,000 tons of silver from the New World to Europe.
Why did the Pope divide the world?
Not long after Columbus arrived in the Caribbean, the Catholic pope ordered the newly discovered lands of the world to be divided between Spain and Portugal, hoping to avoid arguments between Europe's two great Catholic powers. In the Treaty of Tordesillas the pope created a line of demarcation, an imaginary line running north to south on the globe, dividing the world in half. Portugal was given authority to rule all non-Christian lands to the east of the line and Spain was given authority over the lands to the west. No one knew about the geography of the New World yet, and the pope could not have guessed that he had given Spain colonial powers over most of the American continents.
When did Portuguese sailors start trading with Asia?
Starting around 1420 Portuguese sailors ventured farther and farther down the west coast of Africa; by the end of the century, they had located an eastern route to Asia. In less than fifty years, the sea trade with the ancient lands of Asia lay exclusively in the hands of Portugal.
What were the consequences of the Elizabethan expeditions?
Liza Picard considers some of the consequences of these expeditions: overseas colonies, imported goods and the slave trade.
Who was the most famous explorer in the world?
The most famous explorer of them all was Francis Drake. From 1572–73 he harried the Spanish treasure ships, even ambushing a mule train laden with bullion from Peru as it crossed the Panama isthmus. In 1577, fired by accounts of fortunes to be made in foreign lands, he set out to circumnavigate the earth. His route lay south-west across the Atlantic, round the Cape Horn by the channel that Magellan had pioneered, then up the west coast of South America, pausing from time to time to sack a Spanish town or capture a Spanish treasure ship. Perhaps still searching for that elusive north-west passage, he sailed up the coast of North America, until at about the latitude of [modern] Los Angeles he changed course, to catch the trade winds west across the Pacific, towards the Spice Islands, pausing there to recondition his ship and load a precious cargo of cloves. Then he headed across the Indian Ocean, round the Cape of Good Hope, up the coast of Africa and home. He had begun with five ships. Even by the time he reached the Magellan Straits he was reduced to only one ship, which he renamed the Golden Hind, and his crew was riddled with scurvy and mutiny. With her gift for public relations, the Queen knighted him on the deck of the Golden Hind when he returned in 1581. Other nations, particularly the Portuguese, had circumnavigated the world before him, but Drake’s achievement – in his tiny, indomitable ship, only 70 feet long and 19 feet wide – was still astounding.
What was the Dutch rebellion against?
But the Dutch rebellion against the Spanish was gathering strength. From 1598 the Dutch, and occasionally the English, attacked the Spanish/Portuguese far eastern empire as part of their campaign against Spain, with a view to capturing the spice trade. (Spain had annexed Portugal in 1580, but left the administration of Portugal’s far eastern empire ...
What islands did the Dutch trade with?
By 1600 they had contacts on the east African coast, Macao, India, Ceylon and ‘the Spice Islands’, Sumatra and Java, with other islands in the East Indian archipelago, as well as the southern end of the Burmese peninsula and Japan. They monopolised the profitable spice trade. But the Dutch rebellion against the Spanish was gathering strength.
Where did Richard Chancellor travel to?
An alternative route might lie round the north of Russia. Richard Chancellor had sailed to Archangel in 1553 and travelled overland to Moscow, where Ivan IV, called ‘the Terrible’, gave him favourable trading terms.
Where did the Spanish rule?
Spanish power was established in Central America, including Panama, and the north and western coasts of South America, after the conquest of the Aztec and Inca empires. ‘The Spanish Main’ – the north coast of South America – and the islands yielded pearls, gold and gemstones, but the biggest stroke of luck was the vast silver mine at Potosi, ...
When did Spain and Portugal split the New World?
The story began in 1494 , when Spain and Portugal divided the New World between them, with the Pope’s approval. He drew a line down the Atlantic, between the Americas and Africa, so that North and South America fell to Spain, except for the eastern corner of South America (Brazil), which fell to the Portuguese.
Why was the discovery of the Americas important?
The discovery of the Americas had opened up new lands to explore. There was a desire to find faster, more economical, routes to the far east. Explorers became famous and their work has had a lasting legacy. The Elizabethan period came as exploration of the seas and New World was emerging as one of great importance.
Who were the first to colonize the New World?
Now it was known that ships could travel around the globe, the race was on to find the fastest routes and discover new lands. The Spanish and Portuguese empires were the first to colonise the New World of the Americas. Following this the Dutch, French and English sought to explore themselves.
How many ships did Henry Willoughby sail with?
1553 Sir Henry Willoughby sets sail with 3 ships in search of a Northeast Passage. Only one ship survives, making contact with the Muscovite court of Ivan the Terrible having reached the port of Archangel.
Why was the colonization of the Americas delayed?
Colonisation of the Americas was delayed due to the Spanish Armada. It resumed following the English victory.
When did the Baltic Sea open to British ships?
Northern Europe. In 1598 the Baltic Sea became open to British shipping. Prior to this a monopoly on trade had existed with only the Hanseatic League able to trade there. With the league losing their monopoly, the ships of British merchats could enter the Baltic and trade.
Who wrote the principles of colonization?
Richard Hakluyt wrote several pieces on the principles of colonisation. These were presented to influential people such as Sir Walter Raleigh. His work spanned the reigns of Elizabeth and James I. It was his book, The Principal Navigations, Voyages and Discoveries of the English Nation (1589), that influenced the development of Virginia.
Who claimed Newfoundland for England?
1583 Newfoundland was claimed for England by Gilbert.
What countries were explored during the Tudor period?
Africa, Asia and the coasts of America were all reached and explored during the Tudor period. England began exploring mainly during the rule of Henry VII who was to one to send John Cabot to discover a route to Asia.
What was the role of ships in the Tudor period?
During the Tudor period, a lot of people undertook explorations. Tudor monarchs also supported expeditions to discover new sea-routes for trade. Ships played a pivotal role in exploration. Henry VIII was known to have spent a good amount on building ships. However, it was during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I that most of the explorations were undertaken.
What did sailors use to navigate?
The sailors used a compass to navigate. Sometimes an astrolabe was also used by the sailors. The ships in that time had many masts and sails which helped the sailors to understand the directions in the sea.
Why was living on a ship not easy?
The main problem was that there was very little space available for the men or sailors to accommodate themselves. All had to survive in the compact space of the ship.
Which country had the strongest hold on the sea?
The path for exploration was mainly led by countries like Portugal and Spain. Spain had the strongest hold River the sea because of its strong navy. The Spanish armada, which was considered invincible, made Spain capable of exploring the sea routes to different places.