Elizabeth I oversaw a period of great exploration

Elizabeth I oversaw a period of great exploration is one of the major accomplishments of Queen Elizabeth I of England. Elizabeth's reign was eventful and marked a period of significant change in England. She dealt with religious issues, presided over a period of worldwide exploration and trade, and faced dangers from Mary Queen of Scots and the Spanish Armada. Elizabeth established her government almost immediately after becoming Queen. She drastically decreased the size of the Privy Council, partially to clear it of Catholic members and partly to make it more efficient.

For England, the Elizabethan era was a time of immense discovery. The Queen's principal motivation for sponsoring exploration was to develop valuable commercial routes. Sir Francis Drake was maybe the most famous navigator of the time. Queen Elizabeth I gave him permission to lead expeditions to attack Spanish treasure ships in the New World. One such journey resulted in Francis Drake becoming the first Englishman to circle the world, for which Queen Elizabeth knighted him. This was the second time a single expedition circumnavigated the globe. Other notable Elizabethan-era explorers include Sir Walter Raleigh, Sir John Hawkins, Sir Humphrey Gilbert, Sir Richard Greenville, and Sir Martin Frobisher. Exploration during the Elizabethan period was critical to the establishment and extension of the British Empire in the 17th century.