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Exploration and discovery (New technology made longer journeys possible.…
Exploration and discovery
New technology made longer journeys possible.
During Elizabeth's reign, English sailors began to learn these techniques. In 1561, a key Spanish book, 'The Art of Navigation' by Martin Cortés, was translated into English. This gave English sailors detailed information about how to navigate across the Atlantic using a sea astrolabe.
Other innovations helped English sailors to navigate mote accurately. From the 1570s, they began to use the log and line, which helped them to estimate their speed with more accuracy. In the 1590s, English navigator John Davis invented the backstaff, which was easier to use and more accurate than the sea astrolabe. There were also improvements in map-making, which made maps and naval charts more detailed and reliable.
As the Portuguese and Spanish began to explore the oceans,and Spanish began to explore the oceans, they developed more of the stars or the Sun using a special instrument called sea-astrolabe.
Improvements in ship building also encouraged exploration. From the 1570s, the English began to build larger, longer ships. These new ships were better-suited to long ocean voyages because they were faster and easier to navigate. They could also carry larger cages, which made their journeys more profitable.
Until the 15th century, most European sailors relied on coastal features to navigate. This made it impossible for them to cross oceans, where they could be out of sight of land for weeks at a time.
Rivalry with Spain also encouraged exploration.
This encouraged English merchants make their international trade more varied. Some looked for new routes into Europe, trading with German towns or through the Baltic. Others began to look further afield, especially to the Americas and Asia.
As the commercial and political rivalry between England and Spain grew, Elizabeth realised that England needed to compete with Spain globally, not just within Europe. She encouraged English merchants to get involved in long-distance trade and privateering and to explore opportunities and establish English colonies in the Americas.
In the 1550s, English international trade was dominated by exports of woollen cloth to Europe. Most exports were traded through Antwerp, which was controlled by the Spanish. As tensions between England and Spain rose, it became increasingly difficult for English merchants to trade freely through Antwerp.
Explorers were attracted by economic opportunities.
English merchants were also keen to develop trade with Asia. Traditionally, trade in Asian luxuries like silk and spices was dominated by merchants from Venice, who kept prices very high.
From the 1570s, English explorers began to look for new routes to Asia which would enable them to bypass these Venetian middlemen. Some tried to find the so-called North West passage around the top of North America, while others sailed through the Mediterranean and then went overland to India.
Spanish trade with its colonies in the Americas was highly profitable- their treasure ships returned to Europe full of silver and gold. The wealth of the region attracted English sailors who hoped to get rich by trading illegally with Spain's colonies and raiding Spain's settlements and treasure ships. Some also hoped to profit by establishing English colonies in the region.
Following Lancaster's success, the East India Company was set up in 1600 to trade with Asia. It sponsored successful trading expeditions to the region in 1601 to 1604.
Francis Drake sailed around the world.
Drake probably wasn't trying to sail around the world. It seems that he was sent by Queen Elizabeth to explore the coast of South America, looking for opportunities for English colonisation and trade. He almost certainly planned to make money on the expedition by raiding Spanish colonies and treasure ships.
On his return to England, Drake was knighted by Queen Elizabeth aboard his ship, the Golden Hind. This royal recognition and the vast wealth that Drake brought back from the journey encouraged more English sailors to set out on long-distance journeys.
Between 1577 and 1850, Francis Drake sailed around the world. This was only the second global circumnavigation and the first by an English sailor.