World History, Grades 9-12

London

Dover

Plymouth

Calais

La Coruña

Santander

Late September, 1588

Lisbon

Late May, 1588 SPAIN

FRANCE

ENGLAND

SCOTLAND

IRELAND

SPANISH

NETHERLANDS

PORTUGAL

Bay of

Biscay

North

Sea

Mediterranean Sea

English

Channel

ATLANTIC

OCEAN

0 °

16 °W^8 °W

(^58) °N
(^50) °N
(^42) °N
0 400 Kilometers
0 200 Miles
Route of the Armada
Route of the English fleet
Some shipwreck sites
Spanish Hapsburg lands
Dover
CalaisGravelines
London
Plymouth Portland Bill Isle of Wight

E n

g l i s h

C h a

n n

e l

ENGLAND

FRANCE

SP.

NETH.

July 31

Aug. 2 Aug. 3 Aug. 4

Aug. 8

52 °N

50 °N

2 °

W

2 °

E

4 ° 0 °

W

Major battles

0 100 Kilometers

0 50 Miles

Defeat of the Spanish Armada, 1588

In the summer of 1588, Philip II sent about

130 ships carrying 19,000 soldiers to the

English Channel. English warships, however,

outmaneuvered the Spanish vessels and

bombarded the Armada with their heavier

long-range cannons.

590

GEOGRAPHY SKILLBUILDER:

Interpreting Maps

1.LocationOff what English town did the first

clash between the Spanish Armada and the

English fleet take place?

2.MovementWhy do you think the Spanish

captains chose to sail north around Scotland

rather than take the more direct route home

back through the English Channel?