1. Exploring West – Pirates!
Saturday, 15 September 2018
Exploring West – Pirates!
Why did Europe explore the West?
Why did Piracy develop in the Caribbean?
Who was Sir John Hawkins?

2. Saturday, 15 September 2018
The New World
Improvements in ship design, navigation and technology, meant longer journeys were possible from the late 1400s.
Christopher Columbus set sail in 1492 to try and find a quicker route through to China & India.
He in fact discovered the West Indies and the Americas, inspiring more Spanish and Portuguese to explore and claim land.

3. The New World
Saturday, 15 September 2018
The Spanish soon colonised the Americas, claiming it as their own.
The discovery of gold made the Spanish rich and soon had other powerful European countries envious.
England was one of these jealous countries and John Cabot was given a mission to find new lands in 1496.
Cabot wasn’t actually English, he was from Venice.
However he had the expertise to navigate and explore so he set off to find new territory for the English.
Tricky trouble spot…
England and Wales did not join with Scotland to form Great Britain until So at this point it was England exploring the world and not Britain. However (to really confuse you) people from England, Wales and Scotland, did start to refer to themselves as ‘British’ in this period.

4. The New World
Saturday, 15 September 2018
Cabot landed on an island he imaginatively called Newfoundland, (now part of Canada).
He found no gold or silk, so he returned home.
However, crucially his voyage would inspire others to follow him and settle in these new territories – the start of what would later become the British Empire.
This in turn allowed other English Explorers – Sir John Hawkins & Sir Walter Raleigh to claim further territory.

5. How did exploration lead to Piracy?
Saturday, 15 September 2018
How did exploration lead to Piracy?
Look at the evidence – how do you think Piracy developed?
Columbus discovered the ‘New World’ of the Americas which was soon colonised by Spain.
The Spanish discovered gold (later silver) and got very rich from it.
Cabot discovered Newfoundland (but no gold) – inspiring other explorers. Spain was still getting rich through gold!

6. Saturday, 15 September 2018
Too tempting?
Countries began to compete to gain more land, and therefore more wealth, in the 1600s.
This was magnified by increasing competition based on religion – the Catholics of Spain vs the Protestants of England.
Soon, a logical step – stealing from other ships – was the best way to get rich.

7. What does a pirate look like?
Saturday, 15 September 2018
What does a pirate look like?
Like this?
Real pirates looked more like everyday sailors, like Captain William Kidd.
Dressing like Jack Sparrow would make them an easy target.
But what was their main desire?

8. The rise of the privateers
Saturday, 15 September 2018
The rise of the privateers
Any sailor with permission from the king/queen – known as a privateer – could attack foreign ships and steal from them.
This was allowed, so long as they shared anything that they stole with the monarch.
Any who didn’t have permission and kept the plunder for themselves were known as pirates.
Sir John Hawkins was one of the most respected english naval commanders – but he was also a privateer and a pirate. His piracy would eventually lead to the growth of the slave trade.
Because of its small size and speed, the sloop became the favourite
ship of pirates.

9. Why were there so many privateers/pirates?
Saturday, 15 September 2018
Why were there so many privateers/pirates?
Competition between countries was fierce at this time – but no-one wanted to risk an all-out war!
Ever since Columbus made a claim to the New World and Spain began hauling Aztec and Incan gold back to Spain by the boatload, other European countries like France, England, and the Netherlands were trying to figure out a way to get their share.
Privateers were men who were willing to be hired by a country, willing to take a risk in exchange for glory and riches!
In times where life could be hard, this was a big temptation to many sailors.
The golden age of pirates was in the 1700s – but the start of it was important for the growth of the British Empire!

10. Where did Privateers and pirates operate?
Saturday, 15 September 2018
Where did Privateers and pirates operate?
Attacks occurred all along the trade routes of Spanish (white) and Portuguese (blue) ships.
However, as most of the Spanish silver and gold came from the Americas – most activity was seen there.
10-15% of all Spanish treasure ships were captured by other countries.

11. Saturday, 15 September 2018
Task
There is a clear link between trade, exploration, colonies and pirates.
But can you explain how they are linked?
To summarise this lesson, use the diagram on the next page to explain how exploration led to piracy.
A GCSE style question might ask you to Explain the consequences of the westward explorations
Use the diagram on the next slide to answer this question.

12. How did exploration lead to piracy?
Saturday, 15 September 2018
How did exploration lead to piracy?
Improvement in ship technology and navigation meant longer journeys became possible.
Christopher Columbus, set sail across the Atlantic, looking for a quicker route to China & India.
He discovered the West Indies and the Americas.
Spain colonised the Americas and soon discovered gold.
John Cabot discovered Newfoundland (Canada) – found no gold but England had a base in the West.
The Spanish got increasingly rich from their gold – England got jealous.
Sir Walter Rayleigh and Sir John Hawkins led exploration missions – but also started to plunder from Spanish ships.
England started to give permission for sailors to become privateers – which increased attacks on Spanish ships.
Piracy developed since sailors didn’t want to share their plunder with the king or queen.

13. Task You can do this in 3 sections:
Saturday, 15 September 2018
So, we can explain how this all fits together.
But as we’ve found, the GCSE questions are a bit more confusing and might ask something like:
A GCSE style question might ask you to Explain the consequences of the westward explorations
You can do this in 3 sections:
Briefly explain what westward explorations were (Background)
Describe the biggest consequence of it.
Describe the next biggest consequence of it.
Look again at the previous diagram – which parts would be background and which would be consequence – use them to explain your answer.
Pages

14. Explain the consequences of the westward explorations
(Background)
Improvement in ship technology and navigation meant longer journeys possible.
Christopher Columbus, set sail across the Atlantic, looking for a quicker route to China & India.
He discovered the West Indies and the Americas.
Spain colonised the Americas and soon discovered gold.
(Consequence)
John Cabot discovered Newfoundland (Canada) – found no gold but England had a base in the West.
The Spanish got increasingly rich from their gold – England got jealous.
Sir Walter Rayleigh and Sir John Hawkins led exploration missions – but also started to plunder from Spanish ships.
England started to give permission for sailors to become privateers – which increased attacks on Spanish ships.
Piracy developed since sailors didn’t want to share their plunder with the king or queen.

15. Bartholomew ‘Black Bart’ Roberts
Saturday, 15 September 2018
Task
We also know that examiners love sources – sometimes they can be tricky.
This one gives a reason as to why someone would choose to be a pirate/privateer.
Can you work out what it is?
In an honest Service, there is thin Commons, low Wages, and hard Labour; in this, Plenty and Satiety, Pleasure and Ease, Liberty and Power; and who would not balance Creditor on this Side, when all the Hazard that is run for it, at worst, is only a sower Look or two at choking. No, a merry Life and a short one shall be my Motto!!
Work
Poor
Benefits
Piracy
satisfaction
Bartholomew ‘Black Bart’ Roberts

16. Extra – what did a pirate attack look like?
Saturday, 15 September 2018
Extra – what did a pirate attack look like?
Have a look at this.
It’s a bit tongue in cheek, but you kind of get the idea…