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Sir Humphrey Gilbert and the Elizabethan Expedition

Preparing for a Voyage

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  • © 2020

Overview

Authors:
  1. Nathan J. Probasco

    1. Sioux City, USA

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  • Explores Sir Humphrey Gilbert's 1583 expedition to North America, a neglected area in scholarship on early modern colonization

  • Examines the role of cartography, natural science, and promotional literature in Elizabethan colonization

  • Illustrates the role played by prominent Elizabethans in supporting the expedition, from Richard Hakluyt to Walter Ralegh

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Table of contents (8 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-x
    Download chapter PDF

  2. Introduction: A Single Oar

    • Nathan J. Probasco
    Pages 1-16

  3. A Chronicle of European Exploration: Establishing Gilbert’s Claim to North America

    • Nathan J. Probasco
    Pages 17-52

  4. Diverse Texts for Diverse Audiences: The Promotional Literature of Gilbert’s Expedition

    • Nathan J. Probasco
    Pages 53-102

  5. Proving Cartography’s Worth: The Maps of Gilbert’s Expedition

    • Nathan J. Probasco
    Pages 103-138

  6. Experience over Theory: The Nautical Science of Gilbert’s Expedition

    • Nathan J. Probasco
    Pages 139-184

  7. Competition Drives Innovation: Assembling Gilbert’s Expedition

    • Nathan J. Probasco
    Pages 185-214

  8. A New and Improved England: The Proposed Composition of Gilbert’s Colony

    • Nathan J. Probasco
    Pages 215-243

  9. Conclusion: The Mid-Elizabethan Transition

    • Nathan J. Probasco
    Pages 245-253

  10. Back Matter

    Pages 255-285
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Keywords

About this book

This book examines the 1583 voyage of Sir Humphrey Gilbert to North America. This was England's first attempt at colonization beyond the British Isles, yet it has not been subject to thorough scholarly analysis for more than 70 years. An exhaustive examination of the voyage reveals the complexity and preparedness of this and similar early modern colonizing expeditions. Prominent Elizabethans assisted Gilbert by researching and investing in his expedition: the Printing Revolution was critical to their plans, as Gilbert’s supporters traveled throughout England with promotional literature proving England’s claim to North America. Gilbert’s experts used maps and charts to publicize and navigate, while his pilots experimented with new navigating tools and practices. 


Though he failed to establish a settlement, Gilbert created a blueprint for later Stuart colonizers who achieved his vision of a British Empire in the Western Hemisphere. This book clarifies the role of cartography, natural science, and promotional literature in Elizabethan colonization and elucidates the preparation stages of early modern colonizing voyages.



Authors and Affiliations

  • Sioux City, USA

    Nathan J. Probasco

About the author

Nathan J. Probasco is an independent researcher based in Sioux City, Iowa, USA. 

Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: Sir Humphrey Gilbert and the Elizabethan Expedition

  • Book Subtitle: Preparing for a Voyage

  • Authors: Nathan J. Probasco

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-57258-7

  • Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan Cham

  • eBook Packages: History, History (R0)

  • Copyright Information: The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-030-57257-0Published: 21 November 2020

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-3-030-57260-0Published: 21 November 2021

  • eBook ISBN: 978-3-030-57258-7Published: 20 November 2020

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: X, 285

  • Topics: Imperialism and Colonialism, History of Early Modern Europe, History of Britain and Ireland, History of Science, Historical Geography

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