Elizabethan Exploration

Trade

A flourishing cloth trade with the Netherlands

However the 1580s the main markets for English wool moved from southern to the north of the Netherlands, as Cecil encouraged trade with protestant Amsterdam rather than Antwerp

a broadening of overseas markets

There was an increase in trade with the ottoman empire trade links were established with India and trade routes extended into Russia, and a larger range of luxury goods were imported in return.

Three expeditions by John Hawkins

to Gaunie in Africa, from 1562 he acquired slaves to transport to south america in exchange for other goods and was backed by London merchants and by prominent couriers including the earl Leicester Elizabeth gave support, selling ships but the third of expeditions suffered a Spanish blockade in mexico in 1568 - Hawkins activities worsened relations with Spain but even Elizabeth saw the rewards which could be gained abroad

formation of trade companies

these had varying degrees of success in widening England trading interests

Eastland company, Turkish company, East India trading company

exploration and colinisation

causes

1580 return of Sir Francis Drake from a 3 year circumnavigation of the globe; this presented the prospect of new trading lands

Explorer Humphrey Gilbert highlighted the potential of North America

Ralieghs success in gaining investment from Sir Francis Walsingham and others

1584: charter granted to Sir Walter Raleigh (Gilbert half brother) to establish English control over territory in North America

1584 - epodition to Ranoke Island foundation of the colony named Virginia (in honour of elizabeth the virgin queen

Results

Further expeditions 1585 and 1587; all failed to establish a permanent settlement

Problems with Native hostility and isuficient support from England which embroiled war with Spain

Prosperity and Depression

Prosperity

overall agricultural production increased with only a few bad harvests

cloth trade in rural areas increased; but old making cloth towns such as Stamford and Winchester decreased

New Urban settlements developed thriving on lots of manufacturing such as Manchester and Plymouth

ship building increased as a result ports became bigger and prospered from new trade

Southern counties prospered, such as Somerset Gloucester etc, poorer counties were in the North

Legislation to regulate trade and industry proliferated. this was a sign of the governments awareness that the taxses and the Duties which could be levied on trade brought welath to the country as a whole

acts to regulate trade in Cloth, Iron, Leather< Grain and Timber

Two navigation acts to promote the use of English ships

Statute of Artificers 1563, to fix prices, regulate wages, restrict workers freedom of movement

depression

despite growing prosperity, harvest failures could be disastrous

4 consecutive bad harvests 1594-97 - this lead to some serious poverty

by 1956 half of all real wages had dropped to below what it was 9 years before

distress was widespread but much worse in the North where people died from starvation in Rural areas and in urban areas such as Newcastle