Lost Colony Of Roanoke Essay

The Lost Colony of Roanoke is one of the most abiding mysteries in history of New England colonies. The colony consisted of one hundred and seventeen people, including: ninety men, seventeen women, and ten children, one being born after their arrival in the New World in 1587. The entire colony had disappeared by the time English ships returned three years later in 1590, leaving behind only two clues: the words “Croatoan” carved into a fort’s gatepost and “Cro” etched into a tree. Theories about the disappearance have ranged from an annihilating disease to a violent frenzy with local Native American tribes. One theory of what happened to the colony was that they were driven out by local tribes angry that the colonists were taking up good land

For the Europeans, the New World meant the present-day continents of North and South America. An adventurous english gentleman, Sir Walter Raleigh, sent a group of men to explore the New World. A later expedition established a settlement on Roanoke Island, on the North Carolina coast. In 1596, after abiding winter hardships, lack of food, and disagreements with the Indians. Survivors of this colony returned home to England with Sir Francis Drake. The Raleigh decided to send a second group of colonists. On April 26, 1587, a small fleet set sail from England, hoping to establish the first permanent English settlement in the New

Unfortunately for the colonists, who were desperately in need for supplies, could no longer go to the Indians. The colonists begged Governor White to return to England for supplies. White was reluctant to leave the colony behind, but he finally agreed. On August 27th, just nine days after his granddaughter’s birth, he set sail to get the supplies and more colonists from England and then return to Roanoke Island. However, White’s plans did not work out that way. Henceforth, White returned to England. When he returned, King Philip II of Spain and his fleet of warships attacked the British. In result, White could not return to Roanoke until three years later in 1590. The colony was abandoned. The only clues left behind were the letters “CRO” carved on a tree near the water’s edge and the word “CROATOAN” carved on a post. White and his men continued to search but never found a trace of the colony. The mystery of the Lost Colony of Roanoke Island had intrigued Americans for centuries. What happened to the lost colonists of Roanoke