History
LO: To learn about the Spanish
Armada
Famous Explorers
• Sir Francis Drake (1540-1596) was born in 1540 in
Devon, England.
• Drake was the first Englishman to sail around the
world between 1577 and 1580.
• As a sailor, Drake's successful battles against the
Spanish helped England become very powerful.
• The Spanish had conquered much of central and South
America by 1550.
• Their ships carried back large amounts of gold and silver
to Spain.
• Drake’s ships used to attack these treasure ships and
steal their goods.
• Drake's ships captured a huge amount of gold and silver
on their trip around the world. When he returned home in
1580 he was knighted.
The Armada
• Philip II of Spain was angry that Queen
Elizabeth had not punished Sir Francis Drake for
attacking Spanish ships and got together a huge
fleet of ships and sent it to fight against the
English.
• A huge fleet, or armada of 130 ships was to sail
up the English Channel to the Netherlands. It
would be joined by an army of 30,000 men and
take them to the English coast. Where they
would land and invade England returning it to
the Catholic religion.
Countdown To Invasion…
21st July 1588
• The Spanish Armada sets sail for
England…
The Attack
• The Armada left Lisbon in May 1588, but ran into a storm and lost
supplies.
• The English fleet, led by Lord Howard and Sir Francis Drake,
attacked the Armada on 21 July near Plymouth.
• The armada tried to escape but knew they were trapped and
decided to stop near Calais harbour.
• That night Drake and Howard sent eight fire-ships towards Calais
harbour. The Spaniards were afraid and cut their anchor ropes and
fled out to sea.
• When the battle began the Spaniards were already beginning to
lose.
• The English destroyed four Spanish ships and damaged many
more. The spaniards were beaten but their only way home was to
sail right round the north of Scotland and into the Atlantic Ocean.
Just 60 ships made it back to Spain.
• Armada left Lisbon in May
1588
• English fleet attacked armada
near Plymouth
• The armada were trapped and
stopped near Calais harbour
• That night Drake and Howard
sent eight fire-ships towards
Calais harbour. The Spaniards
were afraid and fled out to sea.
• The English destroyed four
Spanish ships and damaged
many more.
• The spaniards were beaten but
their only way home was to
sail right round the north of
Scotland and into the Atlantic
Ocean. Just 60 ships made it
back to Spain.
Why is the 1588 battle with the
Spanish Armada so famous?
• The Armada is famous because at that
time England was a small nation with a
little navy and they were facing the
greatest power in the world (Spain). They
defeated Spain, with help from a storm.
• It marked the beginning of England's
mastery of the seas. The great history of
the English navy began, as did serious
English exploration and colonization.