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?