Sea+Dogs

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=**"Sea Dogs"**=

Sea Dogs was a name given to privateers during the Elizabethan period. These pirates took advantage of weaker vessels on the open seas where there was no way to call for help. A fast ship could easily take over a galleon loaded with cargo and treasure. The sea Dogs would send the pirated ship to the bottom of the ocean. There wasn't any way for people to know if the ship was attacked or simply destroyed due to natural disaster.


 * The Beginnings**

The Queen of England, Elizabeth I, was a very clever and smart woman. She had a bad temper and was angry with Spain, the world's most powerful country at the time. Elizabeth I realized an effective way to weaken Spain was to rob her ships. England couldn't do this openly for fear of Spanish reprisal. Instead, Elizabeth I encouraged the Sea Dogs to plunder Spanish vessels. These English captains roamed the seas looking for Spanish vessels to rob and destroy. They used light, fast ships to out maneuver the heavy galleons.

Sir Francis Drake
Of all the Sea Dogs, Francis Drake. was the most famous. Drake and many others would ransack merchant ships.He had a ship called the,//Golden Hind//. Drake captured the //Cacafuego,// a Spanish ship carrying silver from Peru. Drake also claimed much land for England, including California. Drake brought back many treasures, which pleased Queen Elizabeth. She made him a knight. Drake also terrorized Spanish towns in the Caribbean Islands. The Spanish called him "Drake the Dragon".

Pirates or Privateers?
Government found the pirates of this time period useful allies and offered them safe harbor. The English sea Dogs were authorized by their government to steal! They actually gave them letters to prove they were lawful pirates versus others who plundered in their own names only.That way they could not be charged in court. The English Sea Dogs presented the Queen with all the treasure they had taken from other ships.

Spanish Armada
Elizabeth I of England and King Phillip of Spain had once been on good terms. But England was a Protestant country and Spain was Catholic. The Spanish didn't try to hide their bad feelings towards England and claimed Elizabeth had no right to the English throne. England encouraged the Sea Dogs to plunder the Spanish treasure ships. Philip became angrier still. In 1585, Philip began to assemble a great fleet of ships. Elizabeth heard rumors of this build-up of forces. The Queen became concerned and put all of her effort into raising funds so that England would be prepared when Spain attacked. When the Spanish fleet was seen on the horizon beacons alerted the English quickly. The fighting began as the Spanish ships made their way up the channel. Elizabeth I refused to remain safely in her palace, and she made her way to the coast to live or die with her people. Thanks to the quick ships that could out maneuver the Spanish, dreadful weather, and superior tactics the English won. Only half the Spanish fleet survived and were forced to limp back to Spain. This was the beginning of the end of Spain's world dominance and the beginning for the English.

Demise of the Sea Dogs
The famous Elizabethan Sea Dogs time passed. They had served a glorious purpose for England by increasing her wealth and by helping to make her the most powerful nation in the world. Other pirates still roamed the seas for purely personal reasons. Other pirates and even the pirates of today are only concerned with their own personal enrichment. Whether one considers Sir Francis Drake and other sea dogs thieves or heroes is debatable. I feel, though, they they believed they were providing a great service to their nation and Queen.

References

1. American History Book 2. http.www.elizabethan-era.org.uk/famous eliabethan - pirates.htm 3. http.//www.elizabethan.org/us/armada