Sir Francis Drake Biography
Vice Admiral Sir Francis Drake (around 1540 – January 28, 1596) was an English sailor and explorer. Beginning around 1563, he and his cousin, Sir John Hawkins became the first Englishman to sell slaves from Africa in the New World. In Panama in 1573, he captured a fortune in silver and gold that the Spanish had seized from the Native Americans, and became the first Englishman to see the Pacific. He was also the first Englishman to sail all the way around the world. Because of this, he was made a knight by Queen Elizabeth I.
His most famous feat was when he was second in command of the English fleet which defeated the Spanish Armada in 1588. A traditional tale says he was playing bowls when the Spanish fleet were first noticed. Sir Francis Drake is said to have said, 'there's still time to finish the game and defeat the Spanish.
Sir Francis Drake's ship was called 'The Golden Hind'. Sir Francis Drake was the second man to sail around the whole world with two of his ships intact.
Sir Francis Drake also helped to commercialise the slave trade . He accompanied his cousin Sir John Hawkins in the third British Slave trading expeditions