8-1FrancesDrake

 Who was Sir Frances Drake? What is his Legacy? //Answer prepared by Jack C.// Sir Frances Drake was an English Knight born in 1540 who was the first person to sail around the world and was key in the defeat of the Spanish Armada. Drake was born as the oldest of twelve children, to a farmer and preacher. Drake’s naval career began in the 1550's, early in Drakes life, when he became the navigator of a small merchant ship. Drake was a natural born leader and quickly excelled at his position. Soon after he was promoted to officer on slave ships around West Africa, a large promotion. Now familiar with the sea it was then that Drake started his life of exploration, something he became very famous for. Drake sailed to the Caribbean with his cousin and then became famous as the first person to sail to the other side of South America. Drakes journey is such an accomplishment because he would have been sailing in a wooden ship around the bottom of South America and then on across the Pacific.

In 1588 Drake was appointed Vice Admiral of the Navy and helped lead the English in their campaign against the Spanish Armada. On August 8, 1588 the English Navy sailed to meet the Spanish Armada. Under Drakes Leadership the greatly outnumbered English were able to destroy the enormous Spanish Armada. This was the reason that England became the leading world power of this era and Drake was one of the key officers that led to the English victory. Sir Frances Drake's legacy is one of the most important in the modern world today. By sailing around the world Drake was able to help the further exploration of the world and create better technology for modern travel. Also, the most important of Drakes influences, if he had not succeeded in the defeat of the Spanish Armada Queen Elizabeth would have been killed and today we would be speaking Spanish rather than English. By dethroning Spain as a naval power he was able to open up America for successful colonies and create our modern world. Works Cited Creating America. McDougal Littel, 2002. "Sir Frances Drake." Elizabethan Era 8 Mar 2009 .