Following Drake’s circumnavigation, Queen Elizabeth knighted Drake, and dined on board the Golden Hind. The king of Spain was insulted by the Queen's reward to Drake. His voyage may have been triumphant to the English, but to the Spanish, it was highly destructive. To the Spaniards, Drake was known as 'El Draque,' or 'The Dragon.' His circumnavigation led to an increased knowledge of the geography of the world, particularly to a more accurate understanding of the 'southern continent'. As a navigator, his skills put him on an equal footing with Columbus. His claim of California, or Nova Albion, for England led directly to later plans to send people to live in colonies in America.
In the UK, Drake’s Bay and Sir Francis Drake Boulevard of Marin County, California are both named in his honor; the boulevard runs between Drake’s Bay at Point Reyes to Point San Quentin on San Francisco Bay. Each end is near a site considered by some to be Drake's landing place in Central California.[1] A large hotel in Union Square, San Francisco, and a high school in San Anselmo, California also bear his name. In Devon, England there are various places named after him, especially so in Plymouth, including the naval base, HMS Drake, Drake's Island, and a round-a-bout that has been dubbed Drake Circus, in conjunction with a shopping mall named after said roundabout. Additionally, there is a channel of water in the British Virgin Islands that bears his name. Plymouth Hoe is also home to a statue of Drake.
The birthplace of the Mojito is credited to Cuba, although one story traces the Mojito to a similar 16th century drink known as "The El Draque", after Francis Drake. In 1586, after his successful raid at Cartagena de Indias, Drake's ships sailed towards Havana, but there was an epidemic of dysentery and scurvy on board. It was known that the local South American Indians had remedies for various tropical illnesses, so a small landing party went ashore on Cuba and came back with ingredients for a medicine which was effective. The ingredients were a crude form of rum, added with local tropical ingredients, such as lime, sugarcane juice and mint.[2]
Regardless of whether history views Drake as a pirate or privateer, it is clear that he was both financially successful and a critically important figure in English, Spanish, and American history. His skills in sailing and navigation were surpassed only by his skill in gathering personal riches.
[1] Sugden John, Sir Francis Drake, Simon Schuster New York, ISBN 0671758632
[2] Maratos, David. The 1st Cocktail, Invented 1586 Was A Medicinal Crude Rum Mix (Article 34) "How The El Draque Cocktail May Have Helped Britannia Rule The Waves". Go Articles. Retrieved 27 April 2013.
In the UK, Drake’s Bay and Sir Francis Drake Boulevard of Marin County, California are both named in his honor; the boulevard runs between Drake’s Bay at Point Reyes to Point San Quentin on San Francisco Bay. Each end is near a site considered by some to be Drake's landing place in Central California.[1] A large hotel in Union Square, San Francisco, and a high school in San Anselmo, California also bear his name. In Devon, England there are various places named after him, especially so in Plymouth, including the naval base, HMS Drake, Drake's Island, and a round-a-bout that has been dubbed Drake Circus, in conjunction with a shopping mall named after said roundabout. Additionally, there is a channel of water in the British Virgin Islands that bears his name. Plymouth Hoe is also home to a statue of Drake.
The birthplace of the Mojito is credited to Cuba, although one story traces the Mojito to a similar 16th century drink known as "The El Draque", after Francis Drake. In 1586, after his successful raid at Cartagena de Indias, Drake's ships sailed towards Havana, but there was an epidemic of dysentery and scurvy on board. It was known that the local South American Indians had remedies for various tropical illnesses, so a small landing party went ashore on Cuba and came back with ingredients for a medicine which was effective. The ingredients were a crude form of rum, added with local tropical ingredients, such as lime, sugarcane juice and mint.[2]
Regardless of whether history views Drake as a pirate or privateer, it is clear that he was both financially successful and a critically important figure in English, Spanish, and American history. His skills in sailing and navigation were surpassed only by his skill in gathering personal riches.
[1] Sugden John, Sir Francis Drake, Simon Schuster New York, ISBN 0671758632
[2] Maratos, David. The 1st Cocktail, Invented 1586 Was A Medicinal Crude Rum Mix (Article 34) "How The El Draque Cocktail May Have Helped Britannia Rule The Waves". Go Articles. Retrieved 27 April 2013.