The Lost Colony of Roanoke was the second settlement on what now is American soil. The colony was abandoned after the leader went back to England. What happened to these people remains a mystery to this day.

THE COLONY

• Arrived in 1587
• Disappeared in 1590
• first group came in 1584
• Grenville left 108 men to establish a colony
• second came in 1585 but this second group had tensions with the local native Americans.
• second group driven out in 1586 by native american tribes because the natives thought they were taking up good land resources.
• third group came in 1587
• 15 women, 11 children, and 90 men
• John white led people to the Colony of Roanoke he was sent back to England to get supplies, his return was delayed because of the war against Spain three years later he came back to find the Colony abandoned
• White went back and never returned
• Neither did his daughter or granddaughter
• Philip Armadas and Arthur Barlowe explored this area for 6 weeks in 1584
• That led to the settling of the colonists
• That first wave of colonists were rescued by Sir Francis Drake

What we know

• Words Croatoan were carved into a forts gatepost
• Metal objects have been detected in the ground at Roanoke
• graves and coffins
• A search of Croatoan island showed that the colonists were not there
• Extreme drought conditions were present between 1587 and 1589
• 1587 White’s daughter gives birth to Virginia Dare
• Was the first child born in the new world
• A north carolina tribe practiced christianity and spoke english fluently they were called croatans
• Croatoan was the name of an island south of Roanoke
• Pottery found on the island
• an iron bar buried in the Earth was found

Theories

• they might have been taken in by a friendly tribe.
• could have been attacked by native Americans.
• Possibly the croatoan killed them
• the colony might have split up and survived into tribes

Conclusion

Since the word Croatoan was carved into the gatepost, and there was a search showing that the colonists never arrived I think that the colonists found that life was getting hard on the island. So they decided to travel 50 miles south to live with Croatoan. I think the colonists were lost at sea and never reached the island.

http://news.nationalgony-discovery-history-raleigh/ eographic.com/news/2013/12/131208-roanoke-lost-co

http://www.history.com/news/archaeologists-find-new-clues-to-lost-colony-mystery

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/roanoke-colony-deserted

http://www.ancient-origins.net/unexplained-phenomena/mysterious-lost-colony-roanoke-island-020289

http://www.ncpedia.org/history/colonial/roanoke-fact-or-fiction