The British, Dutch, and French The Northern European countries of Britain, France and Holland were quick to follow the lead of Portugal and Spain in overseas exploration and trade. Under the encouragement and support of the King of England (King Henry VII), explorers like John Cabot, William Baffin, Martin Frobisher and Francis Drake sought out new lands and even acted as pirates raiding Spanish and Portuguese ships and colonies.

The British… The first four sailors that Henry the VII gave letters of patent to (what is that?) in order for them to be able to sail to the west and the north in search of new territories, were John Cabot and his sons Sailed to what is now known as Eastern Canada, near either Cape Breton or Labradour (1497)

The British II Later England sent Baffin, Davis & Frobisher to the northern waters of Canada in search of the Northwestern Passage to Asia In 1583, Humphrey Gilbert tried, and failed to set up an English Colony in Newfoundland.

The most notorious of the British Francis Drake was one of the most notorious of the English privateers. Privateers were pirates that were given permission by their King or Queen to war on enemy ships and colonies. Due to the fact that the Spanish were able to conquer lands to the west (Aztecs and Incas), there was great wealth gained by the Spanish Empire Queen Elizabeth I was not thrilled with this; Privateers – like Drake – were given the ability to capture the Spanish treasure ships that were bringing home the bounty (this was a secret and illegal deal)

How Drake did it… The English had developed a new kind of a ship (Galleon) This ship could travel long distances quickly and outfight opponents Fast, low in the water, relatively small, and highly manoeuvrable, these ships were more than just a floating gun platforms that could also turn on a dime Made them ideal for attacks on lumbering Spanish treasure ships

Drake, more than just a pirate Drake, along with the likes of John Hawkins and Martin Frobisher, were referred to as Sea Dogs (aka: slang for pirate); however, these men were more than “just a pirate”… Drake was also the first British explorer to circumnavigate the globe. Along the way he raided many Spanish and Portuguese ships and colonies, taking his “bounty” back with him to England. Drake took part in a raid in the harbour of Cadiz, Spain; burned numerous ships in the harbour He then sailed his ship (The Golden Hind) through the Straits of Magellan, into the Pacific Ocean, he made his way up the coast of South America, through to California, and then to modern day British Columbia

The French… French explorers, like Jacques Cartier, helped explore the St. Lawrence River and helped found French colonies in Canada Starting in 1534, Cartier made his way across the Atlantic three times, staking a claim in the New World for France

The Dutch… The Dutch not only set out explorers, but also set up trading posts. The Dutch East Indian Company, founded in 1602 took over the rich spice trade and established colonies in Eastern Asian countries like Indonesia The first Dutch ships to complete a circumnavigation of the globe was led by Oliver van Noort The Dutch East Indian Company had holdings in the Southeast Asian region – specifically in Indonesia – that lasted until after the Second World War (1946)