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Spanish Armada Research Paper

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The Spanish Armada was a fleet of armed ships that attempted to invade England in the year of 1588. The Spanish Fleet consisted of over 130 ships and more than 29,000 men, most were soldiers. Many of the ships were low in weapons and experienced soldiers that could work these weapons, others were low in ammunition. King Phillip named the Duke of Medina Sidonia to command the Armada. During the 1500's the Spanish were thought to have had a dominating Navy until in 1588, when they were defeated by the English.The Spanish Armada failed because, Spanish used huge ships and large guns and English ships were faster with guns, plan required meeting of ships and army communication was hard. Also, Phillip chose an inexperienced leader for fleet.
“Spanish used huge ships and large guns and the English ships were faster with guns.”(Spielvogel, Jackson). The Spanish lacked experienced gunners on their ships. In the English fleet, on the other hand, roughly one man in ten was a gunnery specialist, meaning that every gun crew was supervised by someone with the relevant skills and experience. As a result, when the battle came, the English fired two or three times faster. “Larger vessels had a greater chance of survival on longer voyages where the risks of …show more content…

They were obliged to weather a fearsome storm. Even before they reached their destination, the ships of the Armada were twice scattered by storms. “They ran north; some ships were damaged, others lost, and there were long delays while they regrouped. Others tried to land in Ireland after rounding England and their occupants were captured, often killed”, (Whitman, Alden). “Of the 130 Ships that constituted the Armada “more than a third and probably nearly half” never made it back to Spain” (Whiteman, Alden). It was an omen of what was to come, with storms smashing the fleet as it fled the English and limped home around the British

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