The Lost ColonyRoanoke Island,

History Mystery

In 1587 over 100 English people had begun new lives on the Roanoke Island off the coast of present day North Carolina.

Three years later, they were gone.

Let’s start at the beginning…

Sir Walter Raleigh

Sir Walter Raleigh asked Queen Elizabeth of England if he could lead a group of people to begin a colony in the USA.

Queen Elizabeth gave Raleigh a charter (a document that allowed colonists to live on land owned by their country.)

Roanoke Island (1st Time)

In 1585, the first English people tried to begin a colony.

This became the 1st English colony in the USA.

It failed due to hunger and bad relations with the Native Americans.

All but 15 men went back to England on a ship.

Roanoke Island (2nd Time)

In 1587, Raleigh sent colonists a second time.

The 15 men that had stayed behind the 1st time had been killed by then.

John White was the colony’s governor.

This time, the colonist brought their wives and children.

John White’s granddaughter, Virginia Dare was born 1 month after they arrived in the USA on August 18 the first English baby born in the USA.

Ending the Good Relations with the Native Americans

Because the 15 men had been killed by Native Americans, John White decided that they should pay the Native Americans back. He ordered his men to attack the the Powhatans since supposedly, they were the ones who had killed the 15 men.

However, they instead attacked the Croatoans Native Americans who had been their friends and helped them. After the battle, the Croatoans were enemies. This forced John White to have to go back to England for more food and supplies.

Spanish Armada In 1588, King Philip II decided to attack England.

The Spanish ships blocked all English ships from leaving.

John White could not return.

The English defeated the all powerful Spanish Armada because they had quicker ships and a violent storm helped destroy the Spanish ships.

Finally, John White was able to take a ship and returnto America. When he arrived there was no one to be found.

Spanish Armada…….

He arrived on August 18, 1590--his grand daughter's third birthday--and found the City of Raleigh:

deserted, plundered,

surrounded

"with a high pallisado of great trees, with cortynes and flankers, very fort-like".

There were only a few clues at the sight.

1.) On one of the trees was written CROATOAN.Croatoan was the name of an island nearby as well as the name of the Native Americans living in the area.

Before he could make further exploration, however, a hurricane arose, damaging his ships and forcing him back to England.

Despite repeated attempts, he was never again able to raise the funding and resources to make the trip to America again.

Raleigh had given up hope of settlement, and White died many years later on one of Raleigh's estates, ignorant to the fate of his family and the colony.

The 117 pioneers of Roanoke Island had vanished into the great wilderness.

So, what happened? The following theories ( ideas) have been given about what may have happened to the people of Roanoke.

Now the question is:

“What do you think happened to the people of Roanoke Island?”

A. Left in search of food

B. Killed by the Natives

C. Went to live with the Native

D. Killed by disease

E. Were killed by a storm

Choose one of the theories that you feel is the most likely to be true. Be sure that you can defend you choice.

Now you are going to be put into groups with other students who chose the same theory as you. Your group will begin creating a case for your theory and finally you will present your case to the class.