Sir Francis Drake
Biographical
Facts
I studied Sir Francis Drake. These are some key ideas about his child
life, teen age life and adult life. Francis Drake was born in Travistock, Devon
which is near Plymouth, Devonshire sometime between 1541 and 1543. I am not
quite sure because I got several different answers in my research. In 1581 he
and his family moved to Portugal. Francis Drake died of fever in 1596. Near
Panama on a voyage to attack the Spanish in the West Indies. Francis Drake was
54 years old when he died. Francis Drake married twice. His first wife was Mary
Newman. She died in 1583. His second wife was Elizabeth Sydenham. She died in
1585. Elizabath came from a more powerful family then Francis Drake. He had no
children with either of his wives. I think that a good way to remember the first
names of his wives is that when Francis Drake was a young boy Queen Mary was
ruling, Mary was the first name of his first wife, and when Francis Drake was
older Elizabeth I was ruling, Elizabeth was the first name of his second wife.
In 1596 when Francis Drake came back from sailing around the world Elizabeth I
came on deckk of the Golden Hide and
knighted him a Sir Francis Drake. She
also gave him a large amount of money, 10,000 pounds, today that might not be a
lot but back then it was! When she did so the King at that time felt mocked.
Even though it was glory to the English name the Spanish felt destructive
because Magellan was really the first to sail around the world but he himself
did not make it back, Sir Francis Drake did. All in all it took Sir Francis
Drake from 1577 till 1580 to sail around the world once. In other words it took
him three whole years! It must have gotten pretty boring on the ship after a
while. Another English explore, John Hawkins was Sir Francis Drakes Cousin. It
was really interesting finding all those neat facts about Sir Francis Drake.
Major
Achievements
These are some major achievements of
Sir Francis Drake. His first
command was in the year 1567. John Hawkins, his cousin, made him an officer in
big slave trade. In the slave trade he had immediately become a captain of a
ship called the Judith. In 1577 he
went with a fleet for the Southern Atlantic. They started from Plymouth. Still
sailing they then stopped at Port San Julian for the southern hemisphere winter.
Magellan stopped a mutiny there and if you believe it or not so did Sir Francis
Drake. The mutiny was lead by Thomas Doughty who was an aristocrat and member of
the expedition. Sir Francis Drake stopped the mutiny by beheading Thomas
Doughty. Between Callao and Panama Sir Francis Drake took treasured from an
unarmed treasure ship. There were gems, diamonds and pearls, Sir Francis Drake
took all his ship could carry and brought it back to England for his Queen,
Elizabeth I. In 1585 the Queen, Elizabeth I, decided to send Sir Francis Drake
of again. A large fleet, also called an Armada was fitted. Elizabeth I made Lord
Charles Howard of Effington the commander. She gave Sir Francis Drake, John
Hawkins and Martin Frobisher subordinate posts. Two of the ships included were
of the Queen’s, Elizabeth I, own. Sir Francis Drake was commanding the Elizabeth
Bon. They won victory against Spain in July. In February 1587 Elizabeth I
beheaded Mary of Scotland because she was involved with the plot to murder her.
Sir Francis Drake’s last voyage was in 1595, he was on his way to attack the
Spanish that were coming back from trading with trading posts in the New World.
I actually think that Sir Francis Drake was really luck that he accomplished so
much.
His
Country
Sir
Francis Drake’s Country was England. The
English called their sailors and sea men and captains “Sea Dogs”
On voyages Sir Francis Drake was mainly supposed to find treasures like
pearls, diamonds, rubies and this last one is what they mainly wanted, was gold.
A lot of the countries in Europe were engaged in a struggle for new lands
and mostly for the control over the seas from one side of the world right over
to the other side. They wanted control because that would mean that practically
the seas belonged to them and they could make punishments that would be like if
you go out after seven forty-five then you will be beheaded straight away. That
would also mean that the country that had control would be practically the only
people exploring and they would find all riches and claim all the land. It would
be pretty hard to go to war with that country because they would have a lot of
soldiers and ships, if the war was at sea, to fight for them. I would be really
scared if I were in their shoes.
The
Impact on the new world
Sir Francis Drake did make some
impacts but not too many. In 1579 he claimed Nova Albion for England. He found
the southern most tip of South America and therefor disproved the theory that
there is a North West Passage through North America. I think that is pretty
brave because I know I would never try to brake a theory. He also charted North
America’s Pacific coastline. When he went on land to the trading posts to
trade and other times when he went on land it was just for supplies he never
made any encounters with the Native Americans or Natives living in the area. I
found out that he did not really go on land much in the New World.
Personal
Reaction
My
personal Reaction to what my explorer, Sir Francis Drake, did was that. I was
very Amazed because I did not think anyone in that time would think of taking
the risk of going around the world and actually make it back after he did it!
Also Happy because I was happy for him that he was the first English man to sail
around the world and the first person to sail around the world and make it back,
unlike Magellan. Sad because he died when he was only 54. Also because he did
not have any children. Last but not least I felt he was really brave because of
all the things he did and braking a theory. Sir Francis Drake was really cool to
study about, he was truly amazing!
Bibliography
Books
1.
The
World Book Volume 5, the world book ink. Chicago
2.
Encyclopedia
of World Biography, copyright 1973 by McGraw- Hill ink.
3.
New
Book of Knowledge Volume 4, copyright 1997 By Crolier Inc.
4.
Explorers
and Exploration Volume 2, Paul Breuer
5.
Explorer
Discovery, Cass R. Sandak
6.
Sir
Francis Drake and the foundation of the World Empire, Jim Gallagher, Chelsea House Publishers, Philadelphia
7.
Francis
Drake, John Cummins, Copyright 1995 by John Cummins
8.
Sir
Francis Drake the Queen's Pirate By Harry Kelsey, Copyright 1998 by Harry Kelsey
By Isabel