What countries did England trade with?

Enquiry

The child is invited to make a map for Elizabeth I. The first task is to correctly place four cities on a map of Europe. Then the aim is to match four luxury goods to their city of origin. When all have been correctly matched, an animated map of Europe appears.

Sources

• Luxury objects include a spinet, a sword, a tapestry and a drinking pot

Learning

England traded with many parts of Europe in the 16th century and this trade was increasing. Because of the cost of long distance transport, most goods coming from far away were high value luxury items. The craftsmanship and place of origin widens our perspective of Tudor England. Looking at the map will also encourage pupils to think about how the Tudors saw their world.

Supporting materials include:

• An actual Tudor map that can be used in a classroom activity
• A classroom activity based on the inventory of the shop of Richard Anderson, a Newcastle merchant who made his living buying and selling goods from around Europe