The Spanish Armada, 1588

15 Points Per Correct Answer - No time limit  

1. Shortly after Queen Elizabeth's accession to the throne of England, in 1559, a treaty was signed between England, France and Spain bringing peace to Europe. This enabled England to prosper and grow enormously wealthy. What did Elizabeth do to ensure that England would remain a leading player in European politics? Built a huge navy of the finest ships Had young men enlisted to the navy by law Had the finest cannons made to protect the shorelines of England Prepared military campaigns that would lead to European domination

2. What event in 1568 caused a ripple of discontent through parts of western Europe that would lead to some very unsavoury actions that were to follow? The Spanish attacked an English garrison at Gibraltar The English navy sank three Dutch cargo ships off the coast of Dover The English navy seized a Spanish treasure ship bound for the Netherlands. The English navy intercepted a pirate ship heading for Spanish waters only to let the pirates go free

3. Why did King Philip of Spain oppose the knighthood of Sir Francis Drake by Queen Elizabeth? Drake was deemed to deal privately whilst Europe was supposed to have free trading laws Drake and the King were old rivals at bowls which was a very serious sport between the two nations Philip saw Drake as a dangerous man and a threat to Spain sovereignty Philip hated the way Drake used his crews in naval competitions and saw him as a cheat

4. The Protestant leader of the Netherlands, William of Orange, was assassinated. Elizabeth provided Drake with a navy of 25 ships and told him to harass Spanish ships. The English sailor took Spanish possessions from Colombia and Florida. Philip retaliated by seizing all English ships in Spanish ports. But what plans were made by King Philip to enable an invasion of England? Philip made plans for a land offensive using troops from France Philip made plans for a fleet of 130 Spanish ships to block the Channel and allow the Duke of Parma to invade England Philip made plans for a naval engagement off the coast of Florida Philip made plans to intercept English ships sailing to Colombia

5. July 29th 1588 saw the Armada set sail under the command of which leader reaching the western approaches to the English Channel? Medina Sidonia Philip Serna Duke of Parma Captain Chevail

6. Many of the Armada's leaders favoured a direct assault on England, but the commander's orders strictly forbade this. The fleet therefore sailed on from the Lizard to which port? Bolougne Le Harve Dieppe Calais

7. August 8th 1588 at midnight saw the English navy carry out a tactic that totally bewildered the Armada. The commander of a small fleet, Howard, under the guidance of Drake, set fire to eight ships that crashed in to the tightly formed Armada. The Spanish blundered away from the blaze straight into the gunfire of the waiting English. Which form of weaponry did the Armada have that was far inferior to that of their English rivals? Answer: (One word)

8. Recent research has stated that the Spanish had been fitted with the wrong kind of cannon balls for their cannons, which therefore prevented them from firing upon the English. True False

9. What was a fire ship? A military vessel loaded with explosives and combustible material and set adrift among enemy ships or fortifications to destroy them A vessel used to fire cover shots for the main battleships to manoeuvre into a better attack formation A ship used to extinguish other ships that were under serious threat of burning out A Spanish galleon used for receiving fire from the English navy, therefore protecting the Armada's main ships

10. Queen Elizabeth wrote what amounted to a victory speech to the people of England after the battle had ended in a disastrous loss for the Armada. Please complete the following line: "I know I have but the body of a weak and feeble woman; but I have ________ too. The best intentions to destroy any enemy The heart of my mother, and of my father The heart of a king, and of a king of England The heart of the nation, and of its subjects