The Battle of Trafalgar

Question 1

Why did the Battle of Trafalgar take place?

Answer 1

because Napoleon wanted to weaken the British Navy by making it possible to invade Britain, as in late 1804 Spain joined France as an ally giving Napoleon the ships he needed

Question 2

How many ships did Villeneuve manage to unite with?

Answer 2

united with Spanish ships at Toulon giving the French 33 ships, but failed to unite with fleet at Brest with 21 ships as under British blockade

Question 3

How many ships did the Franco-Spanish fleet in comparison to the British?

Answer 3

33 Franco-Spanish fleets vs 27 British ships

Question 4

What tactic did Nelson employ in this particular battle?

Answer 4

used a line/broadside tactic

Question 5

What were the benefits of line tactic?

Answer 5

• allowed Nelson to maintain control over the British fleet as they could signal in battle
• either side could disengage by breaking away in formation
• prevent French from seeing his signalling as line cut in front of enemy flagship
• attacking enemy flagship first would leave fleet leaderless and confused

Question 6

What were the risks/negatives to using a line tactic?

Answer 6

• led to inconclusive battles as either side would retreat
• exposed the unarmed parts of a ship - which proved true as Nelson was taken down within the first hour of the battle
• if a storm or bad weather arrived, it could disrupt formation and make it difficult to maintain attack

Question 7

In what ways did Britain dominate the Battle of Trafalgar?

Answer 7

• British gunnery was 2 or 3 times faster than its French counterparts, making it more efficient in its attacks against the French

Question 8

Which factors affected the outcome of the Battle of Trafalgar?

Answer 8

• Nelson’s leadership
• Franco-Spanish weakness
• crews + gunnery