Roanoke Island: the Lost Colony
Roanoke Island: The Lost Colony
Alycia Roberts
HIST113 VC
On July 22, 1587, long before the Pilgrims arrived at Plymouth Rock, 117 hopeful colonists from England landed ashore onto a tiny island along the coast of what is today North Carolina. The group unpacked and founded a settlement, Roanoke Island. Then they vanished without a trace. The story of the Lost Colony has fascinated people across four centuries and remains one of the enduring mysteries of early America. There are several theories put forth to explain the disappearance, but despite efforts by historians, archeologists, and other investigators, the fate of these early colonists seems destined to remain a mystery. In the 16th century, many European nations wanted to establish themselves in the New World. They competed against one another by sending explores and settlers across the Atlantic Ocean to search for wealth (Durant, 1981). Queen Elizabeth I was responsible for bringing England into the competition by supporting explorers and settlers who wanted to cross the Atlantic (McGill, 2009). Elizabeth’s interest in the New World was fueled by a rivalry with the Spanish. Relations with Spain and England were so strained that the two nations were near war, and Spain had already found wealth in South and Central America (McCarty, 1993). The first attempted English settlement came under the charge of Sir Walter Raleigh, a close friend of the Queen. Elizabeth granted him permission to found a colony, and he placed himself in charge of finding money, hiring the ships, and choosing a location for the venture. Raleigh hired Philip Amadas and Aruthur Barlowe to sail to the New World and scout a location. They departed England in April 1584 and soon returned with stories of a fertile green island off the coast of present day North Carolina (McGill, 2009).
Raleigh found 100 men willing to set sail the next year. The captain of the fleet of ships was Sir Richard Grenville. He led the colonists
Alycia Roberts
HIST113 VC
On July 22, 1587, long before the Pilgrims arrived at Plymouth Rock, 117 hopeful colonists from England landed ashore onto a tiny island along the coast of what is today North Carolina. The group unpacked and founded a settlement, Roanoke Island. Then they vanished without a trace. The story of the Lost Colony has fascinated people across four centuries and remains one of the enduring mysteries of early America. There are several theories put forth to explain the disappearance, but despite efforts by historians, archeologists, and other investigators, the fate of these early colonists seems destined to remain a mystery. In the 16th century, many European nations wanted to establish themselves in the New World. They competed against one another by sending explores and settlers across the Atlantic Ocean to search for wealth (Durant, 1981). Queen Elizabeth I was responsible for bringing England into the competition by supporting explorers and settlers who wanted to cross the Atlantic (McGill, 2009). Elizabeth’s interest in the New World was fueled by a rivalry with the Spanish. Relations with Spain and England were so strained that the two nations were near war, and Spain had already found wealth in South and Central America (McCarty, 1993). The first attempted English settlement came under the charge of Sir Walter Raleigh, a close friend of the Queen. Elizabeth granted him permission to found a colony, and he placed himself in charge of finding money, hiring the ships, and choosing a location for the venture. Raleigh hired Philip Amadas and Aruthur Barlowe to sail to the New World and scout a location. They departed England in April 1584 and soon returned with stories of a fertile green island off the coast of present day North Carolina (McGill, 2009).
Raleigh found 100 men willing to set sail the next year. The captain of the fleet of ships was Sir Richard Grenville. He led the colonists
References: D’Alto, Nick. (2005, September-October). Rings of Truth: evidence of weather disasters found in tree rings offers clues to historical mysteries Davis, John K. (2009). The Lost Colony of Roanoke Island. Retrieved from http://www.suite101.com/content/the-lost-colony-of-roanoke-a87r997 Drye, Willie. (2004, March 2). America’s Lost Colony: Can New Dig Solve Mystery? Retrieved from http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/pf/780937955.html Durant, David. (1981). Ralegh’s Lost Colony. Fairfield, PA: Fairfield Graphics. Horn, J. (2010) Roanoke’s Lost Colony Found?. American Heritage, 60(1), 60. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. Mackay, Katurah. (1998, November). The ‘Starving Time’. National Parks, 40(1). McCarty, Laura P. (1993, July-August). New Findings at the Lost Colony. National Parks, 36(5). McGill, S. (2009). Roanoke. Roanoke: The Lost Colony, 1. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.