11 pages of class notes from grade 9/ A* student for Rivalry, War and the Spanish Armada in the Early Elizabethan England Topic in GCSE Edexcel History.
Contains in depth notes, evaluations and sample essay question. Complete notes for Early Elizabethan England can be bought as a bundle.
EARLY
ELIZABETHAN
ENGLAND
Rivalry, War and the Spanish
Armada
GCSE Edexcel
Notes and Sample Essay Question (EQ)
, Rivalry, war and the Spanish Armada:
Trade and markets:
- Before 1550, the bulk of English overseas trade was based on the export of
woollen cloth to Antwerp in Belgium from where it was sold throughout Europe
- From 1550, however, there was a slump in the Antwerp cloth market, partly
due to the overproduction of cloth and also to the Spanish campaign to bring
the Netherlands under tighter control.
- The English were forced to seek new markets abroad and trading agreements
were signed with Russia and India. A more lucrative area, however, was the
New World (Spanish colonies in Mexico, Peru, Chile and the Caribbean)
- From the 1560’s English sailors made huge sums of money by engaging in
acts of piracy, attacking Spanish ships carrying gold, silver and coins. They
also engaged in illegal trade (including the selling of slaves) with the Spanish
colonies (trading with the Spanish colonies required a licence which the
Spanish hardly ever granted)
- In 1579, for example, during his circumnavigation of the world, Francis Drake
attacked the Spanish treasure ship, capturing its cargo worth £140,000
- Elizabeth unofficially supported acts of piracy in return for a share of the booty
whilst pretending to know nothing about them.
Is this the main cause of war between England and Spain?
● The main incidents took place years before war was declared. Phillip did not
go to war directly because of them, however he did make formal complaints
as the activities were damaging Spain and it irritated him. Yet if it was the
main cause, he would have acted on it before.
Religious rivalry:
- Elizabeth’s protestant settlement arguably put England on a collision course
with Spain, especially when, from the 1570’s, fears of plots led to the
increasing persecution of English Catholics.
- Spain was involved in the plots, eg. in the Ridolfi plot, Ridolfi met the Duke of
Alva in the Spanish Netherlands in the hope of persuading him to invade
England.
- The arrival of Catholic priests after 1570 increased the fears of a religious
crusade against England by Catholic powers- Phillip was a devout Catholic
who saw it as his duty to return countries to Catholicism
Is this the main cause of war between England and Spain?
● It was not a main cause, although it bothered him and Elizabeth did not try to
spread Protestantism in Spain or any of his land, it did not bother him.
Religious changes in England had been going on for 30 years, he would have
started a war a lot earlier if it really affected him.
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller eve7000. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for £3.29. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
