francis drake: pirate, explorer or privateer? · francis drake: pirate, explorer or privateer?...

Francis Drake: Pirate,

Explorer or Privateer?

Adapted by Mrs Couch for home learning during lockdown 11/06/20

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The Tudor era was a great time for exploration.Boats were being built that could survive long distances across huge oceans and explorers knew there were other places in the world besides their own country, so they wanted to go out and find them.

Trade had begun with China and India for items such as tea and spices.

At this time maps were very basic and whole parts of the world were missing. There was no GPS or Google Maps or Google Earth to try and find where things were.Sailors used the sun and the stars, a compass and shipping charts to navigate their way around.

Traders and explorers were desperate for more information, a clearer picture of the world and faster ways to get to countries they were trading with…and they suspected there might be new countries out there, with undiscovered riches.

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In the Tudor period Europeans began to explore the world more than ever before. Some of those who left their homeland and journeyed across the seas were looking for new lands and peoples to trade with, some were looking for better and quicker routes to China and India.

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Christopher Columbus (1451-1506) was an Italian explorer who, financed by the king and queen of Spain, set sail to find a new route to India.He left Europe early in September 1492 and when land was sighted one month later he believed he had found India and named the native people living there, Indians.Columbus had not reached India as he thought but had reached Central America. He claimed the land for Spain and from 1492 onwards Europeans began to settle in America. They called it the New World

Credit: Historyonthenethttps://www.historyonthenet.com/the-tudors-discoverers-and-explorers

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Ferdinand Magellan (1480-1521) was a Portuguese explorer and the first sailor to sail all around the world.He did not discover America because he sailed around the bottom of South America.Magellan also named the Pacific Ocean.


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Sir Francis Drake (1545-1596) was a British explorer and navy captain. He was financed by Queen Elizabeth to discover lands and riches for England. Drake was the second man to sail all around the world and was knighted by the queen for his services to the country.In 1588 he was one of the Captains that sailed to meet and defeat the Spanish Armada. It is a well known legend that he insisted on finishing a game of bowls before going to his ship.


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Walter Raleigh (1552-1618) was an adventurer and explorer who became one of queen Elizabeth’s favourites after putting down a rebellion in Ireland. Elizabeth gave him land and the position of captain of the Queens Guard.Raleigh led an expedition to the New World and claimed North Carolina and Virginia for England. In the New World Raleigh discovered potatoes and tobacco and brought them back to England. In 1592 Elizabeth found out that Raleigh had married one of her maids. She was very angry and put him into the Tower of London. When he was released three years later he left England for the New World in search of gold.Walter Raleigh had always had enemies and after Elizabeth’s death they convinced James I that he did not support the king, a crime punishable by execution. Raleigh was not executed but was sent to the Tower of London where he spent his time writingIn 1616 he was released from the Tower and once again set off to search for gold. However, while on his expedition he destroyed a Spanish town in the New World. The king of Spain was furious and demanded that Raleigh be punished. James decided to use the execution notice served before and he was executed in 1618


• You are going to learn a bit more about Francis Drake today.

• I would like you think about who he was and what others thought of him.

• You will be able to read about lots of other people’s opinions. Notice how their view changes, depending on how they knew Drake.

• At the end, you can choose to write a speech as if you are Drake, where he explains what he thinks of himself…or ask a family member to interrogate you and answer as if you are Drake.

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What is a

pirate?Most pirates targeted

ships for their treasure

and any other

valuables.

Some pirates also

launched attacks on

coastal towns.

•What is a pirate?• What makes a pirate different from a thief?• Name two or three traits you need to be a good pirate

Barbary pirates attack a Spanish ship in the 17th century

Key Stage 2 – Francis Drake: Pirate, Explorer or Privateer?

• What is a pirate?

• A pirate is a robber who travels by water.

• Though most pirates targeted ships, some also launched attacks on coastal towns.

• The most famous pirates had terrifying reputations, which meant victims often surrendered their valuables very quickly, often without a fight. Drake himself had a fearsome reputation.

• Even at the time of Drake’s circumnavigation pirates had been around since ancient times, threatening trade routes of Greece and Rome.

• From the 16th century, many pirates operated in the Caribbean sea and areas off the coast of America. After Christopher Columbus established contact with the‘new lands’ of the Americas, Spain quickly developed its empire in these areas anddiscovered they were a source of gold, silver and precious gems.

• Large Spanish ships loaded with riches headed for Europe were a target for pirates. The Spanish ships, called galleons, were forced to sail together in fleets with armed vessels as protection.

• As Spanish settlers set up new towns on the Caribbean islands and the American

mainland, these too came under pirate attack.

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What is an

explorer?

Map by Abraham Ortelius, 1570

In Francis Drake’s day, explorers from many countries in Europe set sail looking for new lands and new routes to the fabulous wealth of ‘the East’.


•What is an explorer?• Name two or three traits a good explorer should have•The ‘East’ was the source of valuable goods and markets. Where is the ‘East’?• Why do you think people set sail in such dangerous conditions?

• What is an explorer?

• An explorer is someone who travels through an unfamiliar area in order to learn about it.

• In Francis Drake’s day Europeans set sail looking for new lands and new routes to the fabulous wealth of ‘the East’.

• Portugal had led the way in terms of maritime exploration in the 15th century. Its motives included wanting to find new sources of wealth, raw materials and slave labour – as well as new routes to the treasures of the East.

• By the time Elizabeth I came to the throne in England, Spain and Portugal dominated the world’s oceans. Both had also laid claim to lands in the Americas, Africa and Asia.

• The ‘East’ was China and southeast Asia, a source of valuable spices and other luxury goods that could not be sourced anywhere else. It was also a market for European goods, and so important for domestic economies.

• Finding new maritime routes via the Atlantic Ocean and the Americas to this market was desirable because it would allow a country like England access without having to pay the high taxes charged for goods coming via the overland route, but also avoid the Spanish and Portuguese controlled waterways

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What is a

privateer?

A privateer is a private

person or ship given

permission by a

government to attack

foreign shipping.

•Why might Queen Elizabeth give permission to private ships to attack foreign ships?• Why might disrupting the trade of Spain benefit England?• Which is worse in your view – pirates or privateers?

Portrait of Queen Elizabeth I


• What is a privateer?

• A privateer is a private person or ship authorised by a government to attack foreign shipping.

• Permission was usually given by ‘letters of marque’, a government license. This allowed them to capture merchant vessels without being charged with piracy.

• Privateering allowed governments to mobilise armed ships and sailors without having to pay for them using tax money.

• The cost was met by investors hoping to profit from treasure and prize money earned from captured cargo and vessels.

• Privateers were of great benefit to smaller naval powers like England because they disrupted commerce of the enemy, and forced the enemy to deploy warships to protect merchant trade.

• The profits from privateering were distributed among the privateer’s investors, officers and crew.

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Today’s

question

Francis Drake:

pirate, explorer

or privateer?


You are going to read information from several different people.Read their opinions of Drake. While you are reading think about:Why do they feel the way they do?Is their opinion based on fact…is there any bias?How would you feel if you were Drake, listening to what they said?

About youYou and your country need new sources

of wealth and new markets for English goods.

How do you know Francis Drake?You paid him £10,000 and gave him a

knighthood when he returned from

circumnavigating the globe.

Some people in your government certainly

support him and invest in his voyages.

People think you probably invested in his circumnavigation, but you don’t really talk

about that – if the Spanish got wind of it, it

could start a war.

What do you think of him?He’s an English hero.

He helped give England a strong reputation as a maritime power.

Elizabeth I, Queen of England


About youYou are a sailor and a privateer. You make

your living going on journeys that are paid

for by wealthy investors.

If you bring back valuable goods – then you

get paid!

How do you know Francis Drake?You sailed with him on his famous voyage

around the world.

You joined him on raids of Spanish ships

where you took all the treasure.

You were there when he tried to find the

North West Passage and claimed a new

territory for the Queen called Nova Albion, or ‘New England’.

What do you think of him?He’s a privateer, like you. That’s how

you make a living.

Dan Pew,

Crew member ofGolden Hinde


About youYou’re a wealthy courtier and close to the

Queen.

You invest your money in the arts and

maritime adventures.

How do you know Francis Drake?You invested money in his famous voyage

around the world. You also sent your

secretary Thomas Doughty to make sure you

got your money’s worth.

Drake and Doughty didn’t get along and

Drake had Doughty executed for mutiny.

Then Drake renamed his ship in your honour,

after your family’s coat of arms – the Golden

Hinde.

Drake returned a massive profit on your

investment when he got back.

What do you think of him?He’s a very good privateer.

Sir Christopher Hatton, Investor

Sir Christopher Hatton © National Portrait Gallery


About youYou are the world’s most powerful man,

head of the world’s richest country.

Your country has territories in the Americas.

Your ships bring back a lot of valuable gold

and silver from those countries.

How do you know Francis Drake?He’s been sacking Spanish ports in the

Americas and stealing from your treasure

ships.

After he stole a lot of your treasure on his

circumnavigation, the English agreed to

return some of it.

You suspect the Queen of England has been

encouraging him to attack your ships. You’re

not happy about it.

What do you think of him?He’s a pirate – there’s no excuse for his

behaviour.

Philip II, King of Spain


About youYou were the captain of a Spanish treasure

ship, nicknamed the Cacafuego.

How do you know Francis Drake?Francis Drake came across your ship off the

west coast of South America.

He stole all your treasure and took you

prisoner.

Before he stole all the treasure he gave your

crew 30 or 40 pesos each.

And he gave you some silver, as well as a

pass that made sure no other English ships

would bother you.

What do you think of him?You’d call him a pirate. But you respect him.

San Juan de Anton,

Spanish ship captain

Map of Spain © iStockphotos


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Task: Imagine you are Sir Francis Drake.

You have been shipwrecked on an undiscovered land. Your crew are nowhere in sight. You are alone.

You have been rescued by the people who live on this land and taken to their leader. They suspect you are a pirate.

1. Think what Drake’s opinion would have been of himself.2. Think what Drake might have done to make sure he wasn’t executed by these people.3. How would he defend his actions?4. What would he say to convince them to release him and help him get back home?

You choose: Write a speech to give to the people, send it in to me, or film yourself delivering the speech and email in the video clip.OrAsk a family member to pretend to be the leader of the people and interrogate you (ask you questions) You answer as Drake. Record this being done, or write a summary of what you said.

francis drake: pirate, explorer or privateer? · francis drake: pirate, explorer or privateer?...

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