Francis Drake Francis Drake was born in England around 1540, the oldest of twelve children. He was apprenticed at 12 or 13 to a merchant who sailed between England and France. As a young man, in 1568, he set to sea as a part of a fleet of British slave ships on their way to the New World.

Francis Drake The fleet planned to sell slaves in New Spain. However, that was against Spanish law. They were attacked by a Spanish squadron in the Mexican port of San Juan de Ulua. Many of the British sailors died. The Spanish did not give the British crew an opportunity to present a peaceful solution. Drake never forgave the Spanish for the death of his friends.

Francis Drake Drake got even. Drake became the first Englishman to sail the Straits of Magellan in South America. He attacked Spanish colonies along the Strait. Drake continued on, and plundered Spanish cities on the west coast of South America. He became a pirate.

Francis Drake He also traveled around the world. Drake set course west to Asia and traveled around the Cape of Good Hope on his way back to England.

Francis Drake When he arrived back in England, in 1580, Drake not only had valuable spices and Spanish treasure, he was the first Englishman to sail around the world. For this accomplishment, Queen Elizabeth I knighted him on his ship, the Golden Hind. Drake was even elected to the British House of Commons!

Francis Drake Sir Francis Drake continued his plunder of Spanish cities in the New World over the next few years. In 1588, he helped in the defeat of the 130 ships of the Spanish Armada in the English Channel. He had no fans in Spain. They called him “El Draque” (The Dragon).