10 Really Horrible Things Done By Great People

10. Sir Francis Drake Was A Slaver

Let's start at the top by taking a low-blow at one of the United Kingdom's finest heroes, Sir Francis Drake. To Spain, El Draque, was the scum of humanity. However, in both the UK and America, Drake is remembered as a hero, knighted by the queen for his many exploits and explorations. He was the second man to circumnavigate the globe, not an easy task in the 16th century. If had not been for his efforts Spain may have continued to dominate the region meaning the United States may not have come into existence. Our appreciation to him is shown in the many places in both Britain and America that bear his name. But... Drake had a little known cousin, Sir John Hawkins, who helped the English dominate the slave trade for many years. While slavery already existed in Africa between tribal nations, the poor souls transported to the Caribbean in Hawkins' vessel were taken through forceful raids. Hawkins later wrote in his memoirs that without the help of Drake's military leadership, the raids would never have been as successful. Also, the Spaniards despise him for being a pirate scallywag, but four hundred years later we won't hold that against him, the word pirate becoming more like a badge of honour.