Elizabeth I was a very smart and powerful ruler. One of her greatest achievements that later impacted the course of the world history was the war with Spain. It was a war mostly waged on sea, with the British and Spanish ships constantly being deployed to destroy the opponent. The British managed to be victories, with their fleet overpowering the Spanish armada that was well known for its strength. This led to the decline of power of the Spanish. The declining Spanish Empire opened up the door for the further strengthening of the British Empire. Also, this enabled the expansion and strengthening of the United States, eventually leading to the formation of the most powerful nation in the world. The Spanish lost control of their colonies in Latin America as well, as they saw that the weakening empire is not able to control them anymore, so what was left in the time to come of the mighty Spanish Empire was only the motherland Spain.