Exploration and voyages of discovery

in Early Elizabethan England 1558-1588

This is the first of 4 podcasts for the final area of study, Elizabethan society. In this we look at exploration and voyages. Where did the English go and why? How did this compare to other nations? How impressive and expensive were the achievements? We look at the factors prompting exploration including the impact of new technology on ships and sailing and the drive to expand trade. We also examine the reasons for, and significance of, Drake’s circumnavigation of the globe. What was the purpose behind Raleigh's ill fated Virginian adventure? Why did it fail? We look at the significance of Raleigh and the attempted colonisation of Virginia, together with the reasons for the failure of Virginia.