England was becoming a European power beginning with the rule of King Henry VIII. One of the major reasons they were turning into a European powerhouse was their rule over the waters. The English were building their navy into their first line of defense in case of major battles or defense of their homeland. All battles were not victorious but the navy improved through trial and error. Henry VIII felt it was a necessity to possess a strong presence on the water. Elizabeth continued the tradition of a powerful navy after Henry VIII passed on. It was widely questioned haw England was able to become a major European naval power in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth centuries. This was possible because of Henry VIII need for a powerful navy after the succession of his father, the defeating of the strong Spanish Armada under Elizabeth, the contributions of Sir Francis Drake, and the battles in the Dutch War.…
