1.6 The Spanish Armada Level Intermediate – upper intermediate.

Time 3 lessons (1 lesson – 45 minutes).

Learning objectives To give insight into history as a subject requiring

interpretation as well as factual information.

To develop an understanding of the reasons for the failure

of the Armada.

To develop an insight into the minds of both the English

and the Spanish involved in this episode of Tudor history.

To stimulate students’ creativity and improve their

communicative skills.

Resources The Spanish Armada Background – SA1.

A portrait of Philip II.

A portrait of Elizabeth I.

The Spanish Armada Background – test – SA2.

The Spanish Armada Background – test – Key - SA3.

Myths and Facts – SA4.

The Spanish Armada – SA5.

The English Fleet – SA6.

3 pictures depicting the Spanish ships.

3 pictures depicting the English ships.

2 maps illustrating the route of the Armada.

6 paintings illustrating the scenes of the Spanish Armada

route and the battle.

The Story of the Spanish Armada – SA7.

9 sheets of paper – the teacher writes the dates from

Handout SA7 on separate sheets of paper. This should be

prepared before the lesson.

Picture supplement is available on url: http://moodlinka.ped.muni.cz/data/100106/The_Spanish_Armada_pictures.pdf

The background of the Spanish Armada

The teacher outlines the background of the Spanish Armada. Use Handout SA1. If

necessary, familiarize students with the described expressions and names. For further

illustration use the portraits of Philip II and Elizabeth I.

To practice and check students’ knowledge, use a quick test – Handout SA2.

Myths and Facts about the attack of the Spanish Armada

To increase students’ knowledge of this topic, cut Handout SA4 into 16 pieces. The

handout contains 8 myths and 8 correlated facts about the Spanish Armada.

Give each student one piece (either a myth or a fact). Students walk around the

classroom, asking their classmates questions and looking for the person with the related

myth or the fact to make the pair with.

When the 8 pairs are ready, the students explain or retell their myth and fact to the rest

of the class. Each short presentation can be followed by discussion.

The story of the Spanish Armada

Divide the class in halves. One half represents the Spanish Armada; the other, the

English fleet. Provide the Spanish Armada with Handout SA5 with the 3 pictures of

Spanish ships, and English fleet with Handout SA6 with 3 pictures depicting English

ships.

The handouts and the pictures give the students better illustration and more information

about their ships, crews, and the fleet itself.

While the students are going through the materials, which will be also useful for final

discussion, the teacher arranges the classroom.

Make as much space as possible (move the desks aside etc.). Use the 9 prepared sheets

with written dates. Lay the “dates” out on the classroom floor so as to simulate the

stages of the Armada route.

Use Handout SA7 and cut the “students’ part” into 18 pieces. Each piece consists of a

date and an event related either to the Spanish Armada or English fleet.

Take the maps and briefly familiarize students with the Spanish Armada route. Use the

6 enclosed paintings to help with visualization. Attach the paintings to the walls near

the date when the event happened. It helps to improve the atmosphere of the classroom.

Give 9 pieces of Handout SA7 to the “Spanish Armada” students and the rest to the

“English fleet” students. Each student in the group takes one piece and finds his/her

position in the classroom according to the given date. There should be one Spaniard

and one Englishman on each date. Students read their extracts, which inform them

about the certain event.

Students should adopt new identities. They should become sailors, cooks, commanders,

etc. Each student should prepare at least 3 sentences (in direct speech) to describe the

event that happened that day. For their performance, they can use objects in the

classroom, cooperate with their “enemy” or act on their own. When the students are

ready, the voyage of the Spanish Armada starts.

The route of the Spanish Armada

The teacher uses Handout SA7 to tell the very beginning of the voyage. The teacher

should set the first action in motion by saying “roll”. This will help students to feel

more like actors. When the performance of the first day of battle is over, the teacher

says “cut” to interrupt the sail. A short discussion follows each performance. The

students (except the actors) guess what may have happened that day. Then teacher says

“roll” to let the voyage run again and another performance follows.

When the last event is over, the teacher uses Handout SA7 to tell the story of the end

of the voyage.

Discussion

• How did you feel when you realized, that Parma’s soldiers were not waiting in

Calais?

• How did you feel when the strong wind (which helped English fleet) started to

blow?

• Why was the English fleet more successful?

• Why was the Spanish Armada defeated? etc.

Use Handouts SA5 and SA6, which the students should have studied before.

Extra task

After the defeated Spanish Armada reached Spain in September, the commanders had

an audience with Philip II, the king of Spain. Ask the “Spanish Armada students” to

help their commanders and to prepare a short speech (or notes for a short speech) to

defend their defeat and so convince Philip II of their innocence. Otherwise they would

be imprisoned or hanged.

When the English fleet anchored in Plymouth after their great victory, the commanders

asked for the audience with Elizabeth I, the Queen of England. Ask the “English fleet

students” to prepare a short speech (or notes for a speech). The commanders should

exaggerate their victory so as to get more money, some land or to be knighted.

The teacher should play the roles of Philip II and Elizabeth I.

Discussion

• Were the speeches persuasive?

• If you were the king, would you change your mind? etc.

SA1

The Spanish Armada – Background

In 1588, King Philip II of Spain sent the Armada (a fleet of ships) to collect his army

from the Netherlands, where they were fighting, and take them to invade England. This

was done mainly in the name of religion, because England had become Protestant and

no longer accepted pope as the head of the Church; Spain was Catholic and pope had

encouraged Philip to try to make England become Catholic again. He also had a

political reason to go to war with England because Spain ruled the Netherlands, but the

people there were rebelling against Spanish control and England had been helping

them.

Philip was also annoyed when Elizabeth agreed with the execution of Mary Stuart.

Philip had hoped that Mary would eventually become the Catholic Queen of England.

Philip’s anger with England increased further after Elizabeth knighted Francis Drake,

who robbed Spanish ships, which were bringing gold back from the Spanish newly

acquired territories in South America.

In addition to religious and political reasons, there was also a personal one. After the

death of his wife, Mary Tudor, King Philip II of Spain asked Elizabeth to be his bride.

Philip was furious when Elizabeth refused.

By the 1580s, the two countries were clearly enemies and Philip decided to invade the

England. The invasion took a lot of preparation, but had to be delayed when Francis

Drake burned some ships in Cadiz harbour. It was not until July 1588 that the 130 ships

finally left Spain. The large Spanish galleons were filled with 17,000 well-armed

soldiers and 180 Catholic priests.

If necessary, familiarize students with the following:

Philip II of Spain

King of Spain from 1556-1588, when the Spanish Empire was most powerful. He was

also King of Portugal. Philip married the Catholic English Queen, Mary I. He was an

important supporter of pope and Roman-Catholics, but an enemy of Protestant England.

He sent the Armada to invade England in 1588.

Elizabeth I

Elizabeth Tudor, daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, was the Queen of England

from 1558 to 1603. Her reign is seen as a golden period of English history with great

advances in the arts, development of the theatre, discoveries by explorers, the growth of

trade and the success of the navy. All this made England an important country and a

strong power in Europe. Although there were lots of arguments over religion and

dangerous political plots, Elizabeth continued to rule for 45 years.

Mary Stuart

Mary was the daughter of James V, King of Scotland.

Mary Tudor

Mary Tudor was the daughter of Henry VIII and his first wife, Katherine of Aragon.

After her younger brother, King Edward VI died; Mary became the first queen to rule

England in her own right from 1553 to 1558. After the introduction of the Protestant

faith during her brother's reign, Mary tried to return the country back to the Roman

Catholic faith. She married King Philip II of Spain in 1554 to make an alliance with the

Spanish empire.

Catholic

A member of the Christian church based in Rome and led by pope.

Protestant

Member of a branch of the Christian church that separated from the Roman Catholic

Church during the 16th century.

Galleon

Large, long warship (with one deck) powered by oars and sails. °

°http://www.historyonthenet.com/Tudors/spanish_armada.htm , 10. 1. 2005. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01727c.htm , 11. 1. 2005. http://www.channel4.com/history/microsites/H/history/pirates/armada3.html , 11. 1. 2005. http://www.learningcurve.gov.uk/snapshots/snapshot39/glossary.htm#protestant , 11. 1. 2005. PALLISER, D.M. The Age of Elizabeth: England under the later Tudors 1547 – 1603. London: Longman Group UK Limited, 1992. ISBN 0 582 013224. HONEY, Alison. Investigating the Tudors. London: The National Trust, 1993. ISBN 0 7078 01680.

SA2

The Spanish Armada – Test

1. The fleet of ships sent to collect the soldiers from Netherlands, was named

………………………

2. The king of Spain who married Mary Tudor was ………………………

3. ………………………who was the daughter of ………………………and

Anne Boleyn, was the Queen of England from 1558 to 1603.

4. When England became ………………………the head of the Church was no

longer ………………………but king.

5. Spain was ………………………and so the head of their Church was the

……………………

6. Philip II and pope wanted England to become ………………………again.

7. Elizabeth agreed with the execution of Mary Stuart, who was a follower of the

………………………religion.

8. The political reason for the preparations of the invasion was the rebellions

against Spanish control in ………………………which were supported by

………………………

9. Elizabeth knighted ………………………who robbed Spanish ships.

10. Philip’s personal reason for the Armada invasion was the rejected proposal of

marriage by ………………………

11. The invasion had to be delayed, because ………………………burned some

………………………ships in Cadiz harbour.

12. In ………………………the Armada left Spain.

SA3

The Spanish Armada Background test – Key

1. Spanish Armada

2. Philip II

3. Elizabeth I ; Henry VIII

4. Protestant ; pope

5. Catholic ; pope

6. Catholic

7. Catholic

8. Netherlands ; England

9. Francis Drake

10. Elizabeth I

11. Francis Drake ; Spanish

12. 1588

SA4

Myths and Facts

about the Attack of the Spanish Armada in 1588 Myth

The Armada was a surprise attack.

Fact

An attack had been planned for several years and England knew it was coming. Spain

and England were obvious enemies: each state supported rebellions against the other

and English sea dogs were robbing and destroying Spanish ships. The English knew

that Spain was constructing a fleet for future action, and in the middle of 1580s, it

reconstructed its own fleet to meet the threat. In the summer of 1588, England not only

knew – through a document – that the Armada was on its way, it knew its exact size.

Myth

The impulse for the construction of the Armada was Francis Drake’s attack on Spanish

ships in Cadiz harbour.

Fact

The attack on Cadiz took place in 1587, when Philip’s preparations for war were

already well under way. In fact, the attack delayed the sailing of the Armada, because it

put 24 Spanish ships out of action.

Myth

The attack of the Armada was an attempt to invade and conquer England. The ships

carried huge numbers of Spanish troops, armed with land-war weapons as well as

cannons for fighting at sea.

Fact

Philip did not really believe he could conquer England. But he intended to land troops

and march on London, to force Elizabeth to negotiate. The Armada was heavily

equipped for a land war. However, when it anchored at Calais, where its main fighting

force – the Duke of Parma with his 18,000 soldiers – should have joined the Armada,

they were not ready yet. They needed 6 more days to get there from Netherlands. Poor

communication meant the rendezvous was never made.

Myth

When the Armada was sighted, Francis Drake was playing bowls in Plymouth. He did

not leave until he finished the game.

Fact

There is no evidence that Drake was playing bowls at the time. But if he was, he might

as well have gone on to finish his game, as the English fleet could not get out of the

harbour. The wind was blowing from the south-west and the tide was coming in,

trapping the ships in port for several hours. Still, at least that gave the ships’

commanders time to round up their crews from taverns all over town.

Myth

Sir Francis Drake led the British fleet against the Armada.

Fact

Charles Howard was the lord admiral of the fleet and sailed in the flagship, the Ark

Royal. Drake was vice-admiral, in the Revenge, and John Hawkins was rear admiral, in

the Victory. After the initial battle, Howard organised the fleet into four independent

squadrons commanded by himself, Drake, Hawkins and Sir Martin Frobisher.

Myth

The Spanish Armada was bigger and more powerful than the English fleet.

Fact

When the Armada sailed into the Channel, it was in a crescent formation seven miles

wide. It looked vast, but consisted of just 130 ships to the English fleet’s 197. Many of

the Spanish ships were carrying land weapons and supplies but were ill equipped to

defend themselves. On their fighting ships, the Spanish had bronze cannons that were

slow to reload; the English cannons could fire almost three times as fast. Many of the

key English ships had been built to be faster than the Spanish ones. In almost every

respect, the English fleet was the more technologically advanced fighting force.

Myth

The English outclassed the Spanish with seamanship.

Fact

Yes and no. The English were skilled sailors and they fought the Armada with courage.

But their strategy was to fight mainly with cannons. It was the Spanish who took more

piratical approach, attempting to board the English ships with grappling hooks and fight

hand to hand.

Myth

The English defeated the Spanish in battle.

Fact

The so-called ’battle’ of the Armada was in fact series of attacks in the English

Channel. Several ships were damaged and one Spanish ship accidentally exploded, but

no ship on either side was sunk or destroyed by enemy fire. On the night of 28th to 29th

July, the English used small ships, which were set on fire and sent on the Spanish fleet

to scatter it. Then storms swept the Spanish into the North Sea and there many Spanish

ships ended up wrecked on the Irish rocks. As English fleet survived and saved their

country, they won. °

° http://www.historyonthenet.com/Tudors/spanish_armada.htm. HONEY, Alison. Investigating the Tudors. London: The National Trust, 1994. ISBN 0707801680.

SA5

Spanish Armada The commanders and their flagships

The commander: The duke of Medina-Sidonia and the flagship San Martin.

The duke of Medina-Sidonia was a brave and well-respected Spanish nobleman and

land soldier. However, he had no naval experience. Moreover, he suffered from

seasickness.

The second in command: Juan Martinez de Recalde and his ship Santa Anna.

Juan Martinez de Recalde was hugely experienced naval officer.

The Ships

130 ships in the Spanish Armada.

Serious fighting ships (more than 20 guns) – about 65 on the Spanish side:

Galleons: the biggest, purpose-built for war and most heavily armed.

Merchantmen: normally used for trading.

Galleasses: had oars as well as sails so were more manoeuvrable.

The Spanish also had ships transporting troops, horses and land weapons.

Design

Galleons were famous for their high forecastles, which had been death of many

boarders.

Firepower

On their fighting ships, the Spanish had bronze cannons that were slow to reload. The

ships also carried mainly land war weapons.

The crew

The Armada had about 13,000 professional sailors and volunteers and the ships also

carried about 17,000 soldiers.

Conditions were comfortable for officers, but rough for the rest. The Spanish also did

not have enough food and drink to last the voyage. However, they were prepared

medically, with two hospital ships and 93 surgeons.

Strategy

The Spanish were planning a land invasion, not a sea battle. They wanted to sail into

the Channel and anchored at Calais. There they intended to meet up with the duke of

Parma’s army (possibly 26,000 men) and escort it. Parma’s men were to have engaged

with English coastal defences while the Armada planned to disembark the troops and

the weapons. Then the combined army was supposed to march on London.°

° http://www.historyonthenet.com/Tudors/spanish_armada.htm. http://www.channel4.com/history/microsites/H/history/pirates/armada3.html. HONEY, Alison. Investigating the Tudors. London: The National Trust, 1994. ISBN 0707801680. PALLISER, D.M. The Age of Elizabeth: England under the later Tudors 1547 – 1603. London: Longman Group UK Limited, 1992. ISBN 0 582 013224.

SA6 English fleet

The commanders and their flagships

Lord admiral: Charles Howard and the flagship Ark Royal.

Charles Howard was a nobleman and he came from a ship-owning family. He was a

skilled commander of men, but with little direct experience of command at sea.

Vice-admiral: Sir Francis Drake in the Revenge.

Sir Francis Drake was brilliantly skilled and the world’s best pirate.

Rear admiral: Sir John Hawkins in the Victory.

Sir John Hawkins was a skilled sailor and was responsible for modernising the English

fleet.

The Ships

197 ships in the English fleet.

Serious fighting ships (more than 20 guns) – about 75 on the English side:

• Galleons: the biggest, purpose-built for war and most heavily armed.

• Merchantmen: normally used for trading.

• Galleasses: had oars as well as sails so were more manoeuvrable.

Design

At least 20 galleons were lower and faster than the Spanish ships and could take more

guns.

Firepower

The English had more, faster-loading cannons, and their gunners were more skilled.

The crew

The English had about 15,000 professional sailors and volunteers.

Conditions were comfortable for officers, but rough for the rest. The fleet was not also

well medically prepared. There were only a few surgeons on the ships.

Strategy

English land defences were not up to fighting with Parma’s army or Spanish heavy

munitions, so their ships had to prevent the Armada making the rendezvous with the

army. Their strategy was to engage the Spanish as soon as possible and force them into

battle at sea. With perfectly equipped ships for sea battles, they would have been more

successful than on land. Success depended on whether the English could break up the

Armada’s crescent formation.°

° http://www.historyonthenet.com/Tudors/spanish_armada.htm. http://www.channel4.com/history/microsites/H/history/pirates/armada3.html. HONEY, Alison. Investigating the Tudors. London: The National Trust, 1994. ISBN 0707801680. PALLISER, D.M. The Age of Elizabeth: England under the later Tudors 1547 – 1603. London: Longman Group UK Limited, 1992. ISBN 0 582 013224. STEELE, Philip. Encyclopedia of British History. Miles Kelly Publishing Ltd, 2004. ISBN 1842364758.

SA7

The story of the Spanish Armada The teacher

The Armada left Lisbon on the 20th of May 1588. It consisted of about 130 ships, and

30,493 men. At least a half of the ships was transport, and two-thirds of the men were

soldiers. However, the fleet found it necessary to put back in the harbour of Corunna

almost immediately, in order to refit. The admiral was already suggesting that the

expedition should be given up, but Philip II continued to insist, and it sailed on the 12th

of July. This time the voyage prospered and a week later …

Students

Date Spanish Armada Date English Fleet

19th

July

Armada was sighted out at sea by

English ships.

19th

July

A fast ship went back to pass on the

news; a series of beacons were lit to

pass the news as quickly as possible

along the coast.

* a beacon – a fire on top of a hill

used as a signal.

20th

July

Armada was sighted off

Cornwall’s coast.

20th

July

English fleet is prepared at Plymouth

and after delay caused by tides and

wind, it sails to meet the Armada.

21st

July

Armada got into fighting crescent

battle formation. After the English

attack the Spanish San Salvador

exploded. A Spanish sailor’s,

carelessness had resulted in a

spark reaching the gunpowder.

21st

July

English fleet is behind the Armada

and attacks some of the Spanish

ships. In the night, Drake captures

Spanish payship.*

*payship - carries the pay (wages)

owned to the sailors in the Armada.

22nd

July

Each ship in Armada is given its

instructions and the fierce battle

starts. Messenger is sent to Parma

in the Netherlands to arrange to

collect the army.

22nd

July

English is still unable to attack

properly. Even if the English ships

fire heavily on Spaniards, they do

little damage. Their ammunition runs

low.

23rd

–

24th

July

The Spanish tried to get close to

English ships so that their soldiers

could board them.

23rd

–

24th

July

The English ships were more able to

manoeuvre and they relied on firing

their cannons at the Spanish as they

quickly sailed past.

25th

July

The Spanish were doing well until

the wind changed. The Armada

was now heading towards the Isle

of Wight.

25th

July

The English fleet is divided into 4

squadrons to try to attack the Spanish

ships. English ships follow the

Armada, but have too little

ammunition to renew the attack.

26th

July

Medina-Sidonia sent messages to

the Duke of Parma telling him to

be ready to meet the Armada at

Calais and asking him to bring lots

of cannon balls because they had

used so much ammunition.

26th

July

The English ships sent messages to

the government asking for gunpowder

and ammunition as well as food (but

nothing was sent).

27th

July

The Armada anchored at the port

of Calais but discovers that

Parma’s army is not ready.

27th

July

Reinforcement ships had arrived. The

English decided to act quickly before

the Duke of Parma could arrive with

his army.

28th

–

29th

July

English set the small ships on fire

and sent them on the Armada. The

Spanish ships pushed the fireships

out of the way with long hooks but

the guns that had been left on

board began to explode and sailors

panicked, all trying to get out of

the way. The Armada’s formation

was broken. The battle of

Gravelines took eight hours of

close fighting.

28th

–

29th

July

A number of old ships was stuffed

full of things that would burn and

then they were set on fire and sent

into Calais. One Spanish ship sank

and English fleet, helped by strong

storm, drove the rest of the Armada

into North Sea.

The teacher

A change of wind blew the Armada North out of the range of English fires. However,

the wind became a gale and the Spanish were driven further to the Northern rocks.

More than 25 ships wrecked and thousands of sailors drowned or were killed by

English soldiers when they reached shore. The survived ships were forced to make their

way round the Orkneys and down the Irish coast. The remains of the once-proud

Armada returned home on the 13th of September. About half of the ships and three-

quarters of the men were lost.°

°http://www.historyonthenet.com/Tudors/spanish_armada.htm. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01727c.htm. http://www.channel4.com/history/microsites/H/history/pirates/armada3.html. HONEY, Alison. Investigating the Tudors. London: The National Trust, 1993. ISBN 0 7078 01680. MULLARD, Sue. The British Empire (Beginnings). Huntingdon: Elm Publications, 1995. ISBN 185 450 307 3. MASON, James & PURKIS, Sallie. A Sense of History: Tudor and Stuart Times Evaluation Pack. Longman Group UK Limited, 1992. ISBN 0582 07314 6. PALLISER, D.M. The Age of Elizabeth: England under the later Tudors 1547 – 1603. London: Longman Group UK Limited, 1992. ISBN 0 582 013224. SWINGEHURST, Edmund. The History of the Kings & Queens of England & Scotland. Leicestershire: Armadillo Books, 2002. ISBN 1 84322 058 X.