Following Drake's exploits, what major Spanish response occurred in 1588?

• A. Dutch uprising in Netherlands
• B. Spanish Armada, 1588
• C. Portuguese colonization of the Azores
• D. Treaty of Tordesillas

Answer: (B)

When England’s sea power and Drake’s raids unsettled Spanish interests, Spain answered with a bold invasion plan in 1588: the Armada, a large fleet assembled by Philip II to sail to England and overthrow Elizabeth I, restoring Catholic authority and crippling English piracy. The goal was to land troops and force a political change by removing the Protestant queen and reasserting Spanish dominance at sea. The effort faltered due to a combination of fierce English defense and devastating weather, and the invasion never succeeded, marking a turning point that reinforced England’s emergence as a major naval power. The other events listed happened at different times or served different purposes, so they don’t fit the 1588 invasion moment.