The Roanoke Colony was established on Roanoke Island in what is now North Carolina in 1587 by English settlers led by John White. The colony was intended to be a permanent settlement, but when John White returned from England in 1590, the colony vanished without a trace.
The Roanoke Colony was not the first attempt to establish an English settlement in North America, but it was one of the earliest. The first attempt was made by Sir Walter Raleigh in 1585, but the colony was short-lived due to a lack of supplies and conflicts with the local Native American tribes. The second attempt was the Roanoke Colony, which was also plagued by similar problems.
The Roanoke Colony was established with the goal of finding gold and silver and expanding England’s overseas empire. However, the settlers were ill-prepared for the challenges of living in the New World. They faced a lack of food and supplies and were unable to establish good relationships with the local Native American tribes. The colonists also suffered from disease and harsh weather conditions.
John White, who was appointed as the governor of the colony, returned to England in 1588 to request more supplies and reinforcements. However, due to the war between England and Spain, White was unable to return to Roanoke until 1590. When he arrived, he found that the colony had vanished without a trace. The only clue was the word “Croatoan” carved on a fence post, which was the name of a nearby island and the name of a local Native American tribe.
The fate of the Roanoke Colony has remained a mystery for centuries. Theories about what happened to the colonists include being attacked by Native Americans, assimilating into Native American tribes, or being killed by disease or starvation. Some even believe that the colonists may have traveled further inland and established a new settlement.
Resources
“The Lost Colony of Roanoke”, Britannica
“What Happened to the ‘Lost Colony’ of Roanoke?”, History.com
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