He was determined to find a direct water route west from Europe to Asia, but he never did. Instead, he stumbled upon the Americas. Though he did not really John Cabot or Giovanni Caboto, as he was known in Italian was an Italian explorer and navigator who may have developed the idea of sailing westward to reach the riches of Asia while working for a Venetian merchant. Though the exact details of his life and expeditions are the In search of fame and fortune, Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan c.
En route he discovered what is now known as the Strait of Magellan and became the Lawrence River would later enable France to Live TV. This Day In History. History Vault. Recommended for you. Major tensions flared between Drake and Doughty during the trip, potentially motivated by political intrigue.
Upon arriving off the coast of Argentina, Drake had Doughty arrested with the accusation of planned mutiny. After a brief and possibly illegal trial, Doughty was convicted and beheaded. Drake then led the fleet into the Strait of Magellan to reach the Pacific Ocean. They were soon caught in a storm, with Winter's ship reversing course and returning to England.
Continuing to face stormy weather, Drake remained in his flagship, the newly dubbed Golden Hind and only remaining vessel from the original squad, sailing up the coasts of Chile and Peru and plundering an unprotected Spanish merchant ship full of bullion. Drake reputedly landed off the coast of California, claiming it for Queen Elizabeth I.
There is some debate about Drake's voyages, with certain historians asserting that Drake deliberately recorded misleading geographical information to cover the true scope of his travels from the Spanish. There has been conjecture that Drake in fact reached the Oregon coast or even as far north as British Columbia and Alaska. Even with the continuing debate, in the U. After repairing the ship and replenishing food supplies, Drake set sail across the Pacific, through the Indian Ocean and around the Cape of Good Hope back to England, landing at Plymouth in The treasure Drake captured made him a wealthy man, and the Queen Elizabeth I knighted him in That year he also was appointed mayor of Plymouth and became a member of the House of Commons.
Between and , relations between England and Spain grew worse. Queen Elizabeth I unleashed Drake on the Spanish in a series of raids that captured several cities in North and South America, taking treasure and inflicting damage on Spanish morale. He ordered the construction of a vast armada of warships, fully equipped and manned.
In a preemptive strike, Drake conducted a raid on the Spanish city of Cadiz, destroying more than 30 ships and thousands of tons of supplies. The English fleet sailed out to meet them, relying upon long-range cannon fire to significantly damage the armada over the ensuing days. Exploration was obviously in their genes! Drake was definitely not popular! Although vital to the British government and the Queen herself, even the English people were somewhat divided in their view of Drake.
Some admired his achievements and courage, whilst others resented him. Drake and his second cousin, Richard Hawkins, led one of the first slavery trips to West Africa in It was illegal in English law to capture people and transport them, but in those days it was perceived as ok if they were slaves, non-protestants or criminals! They were attacked by Spanish vessels and only two of the six British ships survived those led by Drake and Hawkins themselves.
This, as well as other factors, contributed to fuelling the animosity between Spain and England, leading up to the war in and subsequent Armada. Queen Elizabeth I had obvious faith in Drake — in she enlisted Drake as a privateer pirate working for the head of a country to sail to the Americas. Queen Elizabeth had to maintain a public attitude of disapproval for his unlawful methods, to try and prevent hostile relations with Spain.
She did approve of the treasure he returned with though! Magellan led the first voyage round the world, but Drake was next, the first Englishman to achieve this. The trip lasted 3 years from In , though, Drake would accuse poor Doughty of witchcraft!
On his return voyage, he picked up the unsuccessful colonists of Roanoke Island off the coast of the Carolinas, which was the first English colony in the New World. In , war with Spain was imminent and Drake entered the port of Cadiz and destroyed 30 of the ships the Spanish were assembling against the British. In , he was a vice admiral in the fleet that defeated the Armada. Drake's last expedition, with John Hawkins, was to the West Indies. The Spanish were prepared for him this time, and the venture was a disaster.
Drake died on 28 January of dysentery off the coast of Portobelo, Panama. Hawkins died at the same time, and their bodies were buried at sea. Search term:.
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