Exploration Flashcards
(10 cards)
What were the main motives for Elizabethan exploration?
Wealth (gold, silver, trade), expanding English power, spreading Protestantism, and curiosity about new lands.
How did new technology support exploration?
Improved navigation (e.g. astrolabes, compasses), better maps (Mercator projection), and faster, more durable ships (galleons).
What role did John Dee play in exploration?
Promoted England’s imperial ambition by coining the term ‘British Empire’ and encouraging overseas expansion.
Who was John Hawkins and what did he do?
A key figure in the slave trade; he captured Africans and sold them in the Americas, profiting from the triangular trade.
Why was Francis Drake significant?
First Englishman to circumnavigate the globe (1577–1580); boosted national pride and brought back valuable riches.
What was the impact of Drake’s circumnavigation?
Weakened Spanish dominance, increased English prestige, and encouraged more voyages.
What was Raleigh’s role in colonisation?
Sponsored expeditions to North America and attempted to establish colonies in Virginia, although these failed.
Why did Raleigh’s Virginia colony fail?
- Poor planning
- lack of supplies
- disease
- hostile relations with Native Americans
- poor leadership.
What were the long-term effects of Elizabethan exploration?
Start of England’s overseas empire, expanded trade routes, and a rise in England’s naval power.
How did exploration affect relations with Spain?
It increased tensions as English privateers (like Drake) attacked Spanish ships and colonies, contributing to the Spanish Armada.
