Why Did Francis Drake Raid The Americans

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European countries in the late 1500’s were typically split between Protestantism and Catholicism due to the Protestant Reformation in session. Philip II of Spain was a strong, dominant Catholic leader in the late 15th century. He wished to see England stay Catholic as it was with the old Queen, Queen Mary (Bloody Mary) who was a harsh Catholic leader. But Elizabeth was Protestant unlike her sister Mary, she converted them to a non-strict form of Protestantism. This, along with many other factors, led Philip II to call for a huge Spanish fleet to invade and overthrow Queen Elizabeth. As soon as Sir Francis Drake learned that the Spanish fleet was ready to set sail, he went before Queen Elizabeth; He begged her to allow him to raid the Spanish …show more content…

Drakes fear made his raid on Cadiz much easier, all because the sailors feared him. When Francis Drake sailed into the harbor at Cadiz, the Spaniards were in a panic. Men ran, sailors fled, people abandoned their ships, while Francis Drake and his men took valuable possessions and burned other things easily. The Spanish and Portuguese forces stayed safe in the snug harbor. They did not wish to meet Drake out on the open sea. The Spanish were scared of Drake in the open sea, so they were forced to all stay together and would have to move with the slowest ship. The Duke of Medina announced after Drake captured a ship, that if any Spanish ship broke formation the captain would be hung immediately. He also told his captains that they must maintain a tight formation in order to prevent further attacks from the English ships. This decision meant that they could only move towards England at the speed of the slowest ship. By forcing the English ships to stay compact, England has more time to prepare, as well as it made Drakes idea of “fireships” effective against them. The Spanish and Portuguese forces stayed safe in the snug harbor. They did not wish to meet Drake out on the open sea. A Soldier with fear is as good as no soldier; Drake incited fear into Spanish soldiers which benefited England and led them to their