Voyages and trade (AQA GCSE History): Revision Notes
Voyages and trade in Elizabethan England
Introduction to Elizabethan exploration
During Elizabeth I's reign, English exploration expanded dramatically as the nation sought to establish profitable trading relationships across the globe. The primary motivation behind these ambitious voyages was economic - England wanted to discover new trade routes that would bring wealth to both merchants and the Crown.
These expeditions focused on three main areas:
- Finding the elusive Northwest Passage to Asia
- Establishing colonies in the Americas
- Developing trade networks with West Africa and the Far East
The search for the Northwest Passage
Martin Frobisher's pioneering expeditions (1576-1578)
The Northwest Passage represented the holy grail of Elizabethan exploration - a potential northern sea route to China and the Far East that would bypass Spanish and Portuguese-controlled southern routes. Martin Frobisher led three separate expeditions in pursuit of this goal, though none achieved lasting success.
Frobisher's first voyage in 1576 took him to Greenland, marking England's initial serious attempt to find the northern route. His second expedition the following year in 1577 reached Baffin Island (located in present-day Canada), but the explorers discovered nothing of commercial value to justify the dangerous journey. The third and final expedition in 1578 proved completely unsuccessful, forcing Frobisher to return to England having gained little from his expensive ventures.
John Davis continues the search (1585-1587)
Undeterred by Frobisher's failures, John Davis mounted three additional expeditions between 1585 and 1587. Unfortunately, these voyages proved equally unsuccessful in locating the Northwest Passage.
The repeated failures of both Frobisher and Davis demonstrated the enormous challenges facing Elizabethan explorers in Arctic waters, where harsh weather conditions, ice, and limited navigation technology made progress extremely difficult.
Attempts to establish American colonies
Humphrey Gilbert's colonial ventures
Elizabethan England also pursued colonisation of the American east coast as a means of establishing permanent English presence in the New World. Sir Humphrey Gilbert led these early colonisation efforts, though his expeditions met with tragedy and failure.
Gilbert's first attempt in 1578 was abandoned before reaching America, highlighting the logistical challenges of mounting successful transatlantic expeditions. His second voyage in 1583 successfully reached Newfoundland, but the mission ended in disaster when many colonists fell ill and Gilbert himself died during the return journey to England.
The mysterious Roanoke colony
Following Gilbert's death, attempts to establish English settlements continued with expeditions to Virginia. The most famous of these efforts focused on Roanoke Island, beginning in 1585.
This colonial venture became one of history's great mysteries when the entire colony disappeared without explanation, leaving behind only the word "CROATOAN" carved into a tree. The fate of the Roanoke colonists remains unknown to this day.
West Africa and the triangular trade
John Hawkins and the development of slave trading
The triangular trade became one of the most significant and morally troubling aspects of Elizabethan commerce. John Hawkins played a crucial role in establishing this system, which connected three continents in a profitable but horrific trade network.
The Triangular Trade Process:
Stage 1: English merchants would sell manufactured goods in West Africa
Stage 2: Purchase enslaved Africans and transport them across the Atlantic to sell in the West Indies
Stage 3: Buy sugar, tobacco, and cotton in the Caribbean colonies before returning to England to sell these valuable commodities
The Barbary Company (1585)
To formalise and expand English trade with North Africa, the Barbary Company was established in 1585. This organisation managed commercial relationships with the West Coast of Africa, helping to strengthen the triangular trade system that brought enormous profits to English merchants while causing immense human suffering through the slave trade.
Trade with the Far East
Ralph Fitch's diplomatic mission (1582)
England's interest in Far Eastern trade led to several important diplomatic and commercial initiatives. In 1582, Elizabeth I sent Ralph Fitch as an ambassador to the Emperor of China. Although Fitch was captured by the Portuguese during his journey, he managed to escape and travelled extensively through northern India, Burma, and Malaya before returning to England in 1591. His detailed accounts of his travels proved that profitable trade with the East was indeed possible and provided valuable intelligence about Asian markets.
The Levant Company (1592)
The Levant Company, established in 1592, focused on trade with the Eastern Mediterranean region. This company successfully supplied English markets with Turkish carpets, Mediterranean fruits, Persian silks, spices, and other luxury goods. The Levant Company also played an important role in exporting English textiles to Turkish markets, creating a profitable two-way trade relationship.
The East India Company (1600)
The most significant development in Far Eastern trade came with the establishment of the East India Company in 1600. This powerful organisation was granted exclusive rights to trade with China, India, and the Far East in valuable commodities including cotton, silk, salt, tea, and opium. The Company actively encouraged both merchants and aristocrats to invest in these trading opportunities, promising substantial returns.
By the late 17th century, the East India Company had become so powerful that it dominated trade between England and India, maintaining its own private army and trading ships. This commercial empire would eventually grow to control vast territories and resources across Asia.
How England benefited from exploration and trade
The expansion of Elizabethan trade and exploration brought multiple benefits to the English economy and society. The Crown benefited significantly by charging duties (taxes) on imported goods, creating a new source of royal revenue. The government also generated income by granting trading licences to organisations like the Barbary Company and East India Company.
English traders and merchants accumulated substantial profits from trading with other countries, creating a wealthy merchant class that would later invest in further expansion. Meanwhile, ordinary English people gained access to new goods that had previously been unavailable or extremely expensive, including potatoes, tobacco, coffee, exotic spices, and dried grapes. These imports expanded English diets and introduced new luxury items that improved quality of life for those who could afford them.
Timeline of major events
- 1576: Martin Frobisher's first expedition to Greenland
- 1577: Frobisher reaches Baffin Island
- 1578: Frobisher's third failed expedition; Humphrey Gilbert's first colonial attempt abandoned
- 1582: Ralph Fitch sent as ambassador to China
- 1583: Gilbert reaches Newfoundland but dies on return journey
- 1585: Roanoke colony established; Barbary Company founded; John Davis begins Northwest Passage expeditions
- 1587: Davis completes final unsuccessful Northwest Passage expedition
- 1591: Ralph Fitch returns to England with valuable intelligence about Asian trade
- 1592: Levant Company established for Mediterranean trade
- 1600: East India Company founded with exclusive Far Eastern trading rights
Key Points to Remember:
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Elizabethan exploration aimed primarily at establishing profitable trade routes rather than territorial conquest, with the Northwest Passage representing the most sought-after prize
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Most early expeditions failed completely - neither Frobisher nor Davis found the Northwest Passage, and colonial attempts like Roanoke ended in mystery and death
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The triangular trade connected England, West Africa, and the Americas in a profitable but morally devastating system involving the slave trade
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Trading companies became increasingly important - the Barbary Company (1585), Levant Company (1592), and East India Company (1600) formalised and expanded English commercial reach
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England benefited through taxation, new goods, and merchant profits - the Crown collected duties on imports while English markets gained access to previously unavailable luxury items and foodstuffs