The aim of this lesson is to investigate the causes of the Spanish Armada and evaluate the main reasons why the invasion of England failed in 1588.

Students begin by tackling the fun starter question, “Why did the Spanish eat rope?”, before creating an explosive ‘Toxic Cocktail’ to identify and prioritise the long and short-term causes of the Armada. They explore the growing tensions between Elizabeth I and Philip II before considering why Spain launched its invasion.

As the events of 1588 unfold, students analyse the campaign using video clips, historical evidence and an interactive route map of the Armada. They evaluate the importance of English leadership, naval tactics, fire-ships, weather, Spanish planning and communication before reaching an overall judgement about why England was victorious despite Spain’s larger fleet.

The lesson concludes with an evaluation activity in which students link a series of images to explain and justify the key reasons for Elizabeth’s victory over the Spanish Armada.

An enquiry question is introduced at the start of the lesson and revisited throughout, enabling students to track their progress and develop a deeper understanding of one of the most significant events of the Elizabethan age.

Fully planned and ready to teach, this lesson develops historical enquiry, causation, significance, source analysis, evaluation and retrieval skills.

Included in this lesson:
Fully editable PowerPoint
Causes of the Spanish Armada
Reasons for English victory and Spanish defeat
Toxic Cocktail prioritisation activity
Interactive Armada route map
Retrieval practice
Differentiated resources and suggested teaching strategies

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