What were the causes of the disappearance of the Roanoke Colony?
The aim of this investigation is to evaluate the causes of the disappearance of the Roanoke Colony. In order to determine the reason(s) for the end of the colony, the investigation will delve into factors that affected the colony before and during the time of its disappearance.
The two sources that I have decided to evaluate, The Colony at Roanoke by Ralph Lane and a diary entry from John White, provide accounts of first-hand experiences with the Roanoke Colony. Both documents are essential in understanding the beginning of the settlement.
The Colony at Roanoke, written by Ralph Lane in 1586, is a primary source about the first colony at Roanoke. As one of the leaders of the settlement,
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One notion suggests that due to the settlement experiencing famine, they traveled elsewhere in search of sustenance. The reason for White originally returning to England was because the colony desperately needed supplies, such as food. Therefore, the colonists may have been forced to leave their settlement to find sources of nourishment when he did not return. Going against this theory is the fact that the houses in Roanoke had been taken down. If the colonists had been struggling to eat, it is unlikely that they would decide to tire themselves out by dismantling their settlement …show more content…
Earlier in the 1500s, the Spanish massacred the people of the French colony, Fort Caroline. Proponents of this theory believe that the Roanoke could have met the same fate. However, this theory is unlikely because Spain was said to still be in search of the Roanoke colony years after it was discovered to be deserted (Lorant 146).
The most prevalent theory states that the colonists integrated themselves with a friendly, local tribe. Search parties were sent out by members of the Jamestown colony to find members of Roanoke. In their journeys, they talked to Native Americans who told stories of nearby tribes that spoke English. A sighting of a fair-skinned boy with blonde hair, dressed as a native was reported. A continuation of the theory states that the Lumbee tribe of North Carolina is descended from the Roanoke colonists. The tribe and the colony share a small number of surnames
Breen, T. H., and Stephen Innes. Myne Owne Ground: Race and Freedom on Virginia 's Eastern Shore, 1640-1676. 25th anniversary ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 2005. 142 pages (kindle edition).
When most people think of the early settlement they think of the first successful settlement, Jamestown, but this was not the first settlement in the New World. The settlement at Roanoke was the first attempt to colonize the New World. The settlement at Roanoke is often referred to as the “Lost Colony” because of its unusual disappearance. The reason people often do not know about the first settlement at Roanoke because it was abandoned, forgotten, and lost. The Roanoke settlement was located on an island on the northern coast of what is now North Carolina. A few more than a hundred English men first settled the colony at Roanoke Island in 1584. The conditions were harsh and between the lack of supplies and the troubles with natives of the area the settlement was all but doomed from the start. Three years after the initial settlement was founded, in 1587, more English arrived this time there were one hundred and ten colonists that consisted not just of men, but of women and children as well. Women and children were brought to the New World so that the settlement could become a fully functioning society. Of course this idea obviously did not work out as planned. The war going on in Europe between the English and the Spanish caused a delay of more supplies and people. If there had not been a prolonged delay in the resupplying process the entire course of American history may not have been what we know it to be now. If the war had started any earlier or later then people might have known more about the original first settlement of the New World. All the evidence left when people returned to Roanoke following the war in Europe was the word “CROATOAN” carved into a tree. Historians believe these to be marks left by the Croatoan Indians...
In 1587, John White lead a crew of a hundred and seventeen to the island of Roanoke, hoping to form England’s first colony in America. The travel to Roanoke Island didn't trouble John White and they successfully set anchor on Roanoke in July 22, 1587. The Colony worked out exactly as planned until the colony ran out of supplies, forcing John White to sail back to England to collect more supplies then return home with the supplies. The
Looking at the early English colonies in the Chesapeake Bay region, it’s clear that the English had not learned any lessons from their experiences at Roanoke. Poor planning, a bad location, unrealistic expectations, flawed leadership, unsuccessful relations with the local Indians, and no hope of finding the mineral wealth the Spanish found in Mexico, all contributed to failure. The first colonists in the Chesapeake region were not only ignorant, lazy and unambitious, but their attempts were hampered before they had begun. However, a solution to these problems was found in a single plant: tobacco. Nevertheless, this cash crop ultimately created numerous problems for the colonists. The ignorance and indolent acts of the Chesapeake colonists to unsuccessfully restore the colony by themselves led to the demise of the colony as a whole especially regarding the planting of agricultural goods for food.
The Jamestown Project discusses the monumental landmark, the colony of Jamestown, was in Atlantic History. The story of Jamestown is told in a much more authentic, elaborate style than our textbooks has presented. As Kupperman points out, Jamestown was not only important to United State’s history but also to British history. From the motivations to the lasting effects, she gives an accurate account of all components involved in Jamestown. Also, there is a chapter devoted to the Native American experience, which shows a non-Western view of events. The book is written in a format that is easily read but also compacted with information. More importantly she puts Jamestown in its right place in United State’s and British history, as the foundation of colonial United States and the British Empire.
Smith, John. "Settlement Of Jamestown - 1607." The National Center for Public Policy Research. http://www.nationalcenter.org/SettlementofJamestown
4.Roanoke Island— 12 mi (19 km) long and 3 mi (4.8 km) wide, off the NE coast of North Carolina between Albemarle and Pimlico sounds, site of the earliest English colony in North America. The first colonists, sent out by Sir Walter Raleigh landed in Aug. 1585 but returned to England in 1586. A second group, arriving in 1587, disappeared by the time additional supplies were brought from England in 1591. Artifacts from the lost colony are displayed in Fort Raleigh National Historic Site on the island.
The colonists of Roanoke disappeared mysteriously around 1590. All the colonists were gone without a trace and without any exact way of letting anyone know what happened to them. When the governor of Roanoke, John White, arrived to Roanoke in 1590,there was only one clue about the disappearance that remained. The letters ''CRO''were written on a tree nearby. No one had knowledge of what happened to the colonists or where they might have gone. The question that is still being asked is,'' What happened in the time between when White left and returned?'' and , '' How did the events leading up to and after Roanoke affect the later colonies?'' There were eleven children, seventeen women, and ninety men that were supposed to be in Roanoke , but no remained. It is a mystery that hasn't been solved up to this day.
Summary: This book starts well before Roanoke was founded. It detailed how, at the time, England was not a superpower. Spain and France were the most dominant of the European countries, but internal conflicts in France made it weak, while Spain was getting extremely wealthy off of Indians and the Aztecs. England saw this as an opportunity to expand into the New World, and had Walter Raleigh head the trip. The main goals of the colony were to expanding their efforts of privateering, with a sustainable colony as an after thought. It was initial devised as a way to intercept merchant ships more effectively from other countries (mainly Spain) and be a short-term base of operations. Most if not all of the men brought over had only military experience, so they struggled with building proper housing, getting clean water, and growing crops. Ultimately, conflict erupted when the Indians grew weary of giving such a large amount of supplies to the colonists, and many high ranking officials died on the Indian side. The settlement was abandoned due to lack of supplies. After this unsuccessful attempt, John White lead another group intended to be a permanent settlement to Roanoke, and the prototype of plantations he u...
N.A. “What Happened to the Lost Colony of Roanoke?” N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Oct. 2011
The first settlement was built by the English and consisted of 117 men, women, and children on Roanoke Island; which is off the coast of North Carolina. Within three years all of the colonists had disappeared leaving no trace of what happened to them. Analysis of tree rings has shown that Roanoke Island had the worst three-year drought in the past 800 years during the time they settled and disappeared. This is just one of the many challenges that colonists faced.
...ve Indians. From the copious use of examples in Winthrop's work, and the concise detail in Rowlandson's narrative, one can imbibe such Puritans values as the mercy of God, place in society, and community. Together, these three elements create a foundation for Puritan thought and lifestyle in the New World. Though A Model of Christian Charity is rather prescriptive in its discussion of these values, Rowlandson's captivity narrative can certainly be categorized as descriptive; this pious young woman serves as a living example of Winthrop's "laws," in that she lives the life of a true Puritan. Therefore, both 17th century works are extremely interrelated; in order to create Winthrop's model community, one must have faith and closely follow Puritan ideals, as Rowlandson has effectively done in her A Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson.
Often when looking at American history, people tend to lump all the characters and actors involved as similar. This is especially the case in regards to Early American Colonial history. Because the Puritan communities that grew rapidly after John Winthrop’s arrival in 1630 often overshadow the earlier colony at Plymouth, many are lead to assume that all settlers acted in similar ways with regard to land use, religion, and law. By analyzing the writings of William Bradford and John Winthrop, one begins to see differing pictures of colonization in New England.
A reestablishment of the colony was attempted. It was decided that John White would be the governor. Unfortunately, Indians attacked the colonists numerous times and all their supplies ran out. They decided to send White to obtain supplies in England. He left behind his daughter and his granddaughter, Virginia Dare who was the first child of European decent born in America. When John White arrived in England, the country was involved with a war between Spain and themselves. When White finally was able to come back, 2 years later, there was no one to greet them on the shores of Roanoke Island. There was only an eerie silence. The entire colony was abandoned. As the ship's crew inspected the city they had called Raleigh, one man found "CROA" carved on a tree. To this day the whereabouts of this colony is a mystery.
In “A Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson,” Mary Rowlandson, a Puritan mother from Lancaster, Massachusetts, recounts the invasion of her town by Indians in 1676 during “King Philip’s War,” when the Indians attempted to regain their tribal lands. She describes the period of time where she is held under captivity by the Indians, and the dire circumstances under which she lives. During these terrible weeks, Mary Rowlandson deals with the death of her youngest child, the absence of her Christian family and friends, the terrible conditions that she must survive, and her struggle to maintain her faith in God. She also learns how to cope with the Indians amongst whom she lives, which causes her attitude towards them to undergo several changes. At first, she is utterly appalled by their lifestyle and actions, but as time passes she grows dependent upon them, and by the end of her captivity, she almost admires their ability to survive the harshest times with a very minimal amount of possessions and resources. Despite her growing awe of the Indian lifestyle, her attitude towards them always maintains a view that they are the “enemy.”