England became powerful, when Elizabeth I came to the throne in 1558. During her term England became one of the most powerful empires in the world. The first colonies were founded and the English troops conquered the Spanish Armada. A man called Francis Drake was the first English person, who circumnavigated the world. From “Small” to “Big” that was always the motto he lived and finally became famous with. His motto describes his life, a life which began in modest living conditions and finally reached the highest social classes (Damm 25).
The Spanish feared and admired Francis Drake at the same time. This was due to his great courage and his unpredictability. They called him “El Dragon - The Dragon”. He was hated by many Spaniards, but the King of Spain (Philip I.) hated him the most. He even announced to pay 20.000 ducats, on Drake’s head (Wood 73). This was a great honour for Sir Francis Drake. What was it, that made him so dangerous for the Spanish King, and how did the Queen of England appreciated his doing? In which connection did he stand to Elizabeth I.? Who was this man and what influence did he have in the British Empire and on the British throne?
In this work I will try to find answers to all these questions, but also find out more about his occurrence and behaviour, when he landed on unsettled land. I will try to compare his occurrence and behaviour, to the “Ethnocentric” behaviour. Even though the coinage of the term “Ethnocentrism” itself was first introduced in 1906, “ethnocentric” behaviour can certainly be found centuries before that. When the European settlers began to colonize the “new world”, the land was simply taken from the native population. For the Europeans the Natives were outsiders with no rights. In most cases the explorers showed typical ethnocentric behaviour.
How Sir Francis Drake treated the native population is one of the focuses of this paper. Did he show the same ethnocentric behaviour like most of the others did or was he friendly and nice to the native population?
How did he get in contact with them to communicate?
I will give a closer explanation to the term “Ethnocentrism” and want it stands for, before I analyse the way Drake treated to native people, when he landed in the “New World” (America). Her for I will analyse the narratives by Hakluyt about Sir Francis Drake’s landing in the new world, which was somewhere in the vicinity of what is now San Francisco (The Norton Anthology of English Literature 894 ff).
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 The Life of Sir Francis Drake
2.1 The Early Years of Sir Francis Drake
2.2 Sir Francis Drake as a Pirate and Slave Trader
2.3 The Victory over the Spanish Armada
2.4 Sir Francis Drake and his Connection to Elizabeth I.
2.5 The Circumnavigation of the World
3 Ethnocentrism
3.1 What does the Term "Ethnocentrism" stands for?
3.2 Drake’s Behaviour in the “New World” – was it “Ethnocentric”?
4 Conclusion
Objectives and Research Focus
The primary objective of this work is to examine the character and historical impact of Sir Francis Drake, specifically focusing on his interactions with indigenous populations during his circumnavigation of the globe. The paper explores the research question of whether Drake displayed ethnocentric behavior similar to that of other European explorers when encountering societies in the "New World," or if his conduct differed from the typical colonial patterns of his time.
- Biographical development of Sir Francis Drake from his modest beginnings to his status as a national hero.
- Political and social connection between Sir Francis Drake and Queen Elizabeth I.
- Historical analysis of the concept of ethnocentrism, as defined by William Graham Sumner.
- Evaluation of Drake's behavior in "Nova Albion" based on primary eyewitness accounts from Hakluyt.
Excerpt from the Book
Drake’s Behaviour in the “New World” – was it “Ethnocentric”?
How did Sir Francis Drake behave, when he landed in this bay close to San Francisco? Did he show the same ethnocentric behaviour like most of the other explorers, who landed in the “New World”? The English always believed, that in 1579, when he landed in “Nova Albion” the native “king” gave Drake title to the whole land. But did he really? To find out more about Drake and his behaviour, I am now going to analyse the eyewitness accounts from Hykluyt (The Norton Anthology of English Literature 894 ff.). At least the brass plate which was mentioned in the account has never been found. So there is no proof until today, if the native “king” gave it to Drake, or if Drake just took the land.
It is obvious that in many cases the English seafarers didn’t really understand the native population, because communication was difficult. In many cases you can read that they had to assume the meaning of what the native did and say. “This ended by signs requested our general to send something by their hand to their king, …” (The Norton Anthology of English Literature 895). In many cases the English didn’t really know what the native people do, but they always compared it to their own habits and culture.
“In the meantime the women, remaining on the hill, tormented themselves lamentably, tearing their flesh from their cheeks, whereby we perceived that they were about a sacrifice” (The Norton Anthology of English Literature 895). Although the native people didn’t confront them in any aggressive or adversarial way, Drake told his men to entrench themselves behind bulwarks and he always tried to show and express his military advantage. “In the meantime our general gathered his men together and marched within his fenced place, making against their approaching a very warlike show. (…)
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: This chapter introduces the historical context of England under Elizabeth I and establishes the research goal of analyzing Sir Francis Drake's behavior through an ethnocentric lens.
2 The Life of Sir Francis Drake: This section provides a comprehensive biographical overview, detailing his upbringing, his career as a privateer and slave trader, his conflict with the Spanish, and his relationship with the Queen.
3 Ethnocentrism: This chapter defines the sociological concept of ethnocentrism and applies it to the analysis of historical eyewitness accounts regarding Drake's landing in North America.
4 Conclusion: The concluding chapter summarizes the findings, confirming that despite his unique career, Drake exhibited the typical ethnocentric patterns common among European explorers of his era.
Keywords
Sir Francis Drake, Ethnocentrism, Queen Elizabeth I, Colonialism, Nova Albion, Hakluyt, Exploration, Spanish Armada, Privateer, Native Population, Xenophobia, British Empire, History, Social Cohesion, Cultural Superiority.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper explores the life and actions of Sir Francis Drake, examining whether his behavior towards indigenous people during his voyages aligned with the ethnocentric attitudes prevalent among European explorers of the 16th century.
What central themes are addressed in this work?
The work covers themes of maritime history, the rise of the British Empire, the relationship between personal biography and political power, and the sociological critique of early colonial interactions.
What is the primary research question?
The research seeks to answer whether Sir Francis Drake was unique in his treatment of native populations or if he displayed the same ethnocentric, dismissive, and dominating behaviors typical of his contemporaries.
Which scientific methodology is applied?
The author uses a historical and analytical approach, contrasting biographical data with primary source analysis—specifically eyewitness accounts recorded by Hakluyt—and applying sociological definitions of ethnocentrism provided by G.A. Sumner.
What is covered in the main body of the text?
The main body investigates Drake's rise through the social ranks, his strategic role under Elizabeth I, his circumnavigation of the globe, and a detailed analysis of the events in "Drakes Bay" as documented in historical narratives.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include Sir Francis Drake, Ethnocentrism, Colonialism, Nova Albion, Privateer, and Cultural Superiority.
How did the relationship with Queen Elizabeth I influence Drake's career?
The Queen acted as his primary supporter; this dependency provided him with legitimacy and protection, while Drake provided the Crown with wealth and strategic victories against the Spanish Empire.
Why does the author argue that Drake's behavior was ethnocentric?
The author argues that by building defensive fences, assuming superiority, and claiming land without genuine understanding or consent from the native inhabitants, Drake followed the same exclusionary "in-group" vs. "other-group" patterns described by Sumner.
- Quote paper
- Florian Schwarze (Author), 2010, Sir Francis Drake and the Ethnocentric Behaviour, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/161781
