Failure of the Armada

Below is a summary of the event in twenty points. Working from left to right, explain the historical significance of each point and then categorise each row by theme (the first has been done for you). Next, identify which point from each row is the odd one out, and then rank each row in terms of impact.

Why would these points matter? Annotate within each box Category Odd One Out? Rank: reasons for failure
Smaller Heavier firepower Long-range Bulky Faster
English strength Bulky - all the others relate to English
Poor quality cannons Inexperienced commander Late arrival of Duke of Parma Attack moored fleet Exploded when fired
Crescent formation Fire ships Loss of control Out-gunned, easy targets Inexperienced ships
Scattered ships blown north No maps Rocks on Irish coast Contaminated food Sailors too ill to sail properly

Suggested response

Why would these points matter? Annotate within each box Categorise Odd One Out? Rank: reasons for failure
Smaller Heavier firepower Long-range Bulky Faster
English ships smaller so more manoeuvrable English ships had heavier firepower so could inflict more damage English ships could fire from long range, meaning they could avoid attack Spanish ships too bulky to manoeuvre English ships could attack and retreat quickly, avoiding damage English strength Bulky - all the others relate to English
Poor quality cannons Inexperienced commander Late arrival of Duke of Parma Attack moored fleet Exploded When fired
Spanish ships could not inflict much damage Medina Sidonia made mistake in waiting to pick up more men - English could regroup This gave English chance to attack Spanish unable to attack back as moored Cannon fire very ineffective as the shot exploded when fired Spanish weakness Attack moored fleet - all the others relate to Spanish
Crescent formation Fire ships Loss of control Out-gunned, easy targets Inexperienced ships
Difficult for English to break Used to finally break crescent Once separated, Sidonia lost control of his fleet 'Sitting ducks' as ships too big to manoeuvre Spanish ships unable to adapt once dispersed Tactics Fire ships — this was an English tactic
Scattered ships blown north No maps Rocks on Irish coast Contaminated food Sailors too ill to sail properly
Spanish drift into unknown waters No maps meant no sense of where to go once off course Wind and lack of map meant they headed for rocks This caused morale to drop and starvation Ships unable to find safe course Bad luck No maps - this was a poor decision, not bad luck