Imagine This…..  One morning, you pick up the newspaper and glance at the front page. In large bold letters across the top, you see: "Entire Community Disappears!" What would you do? Would you call someone? Would you put the paper down and go back to sleep? Would you think about it while you ate breakfast? Or, would you go looking for clues? If you had lived in 1590 (and if they had newspapers then), you might have seen this headline.

w The Colony of Roanoke was the first English settlement here in what would become the United States. When John White, one of the original settlers, came back to Roanoke after leaving for supplies, he found that the entire colony had disappeared, including his daughter and granddaughter.

Chapter 2 Roanoke Colony Third Time’s the Charm…. NOT! The Lost Colony

Sir Walter Raleigh w Sir Walter Raleigh asked Queen Elizabeth of England if he could lead a group of people to begin a colony in the USA. w Queen Elizabeth gave Raleigh a charter (a document that allowed colonists to live on land owned by their country.) Raleigh NEVER went to the New World till years after this, He just organized and helped finance the founding of a new colony!

w He was known as a SEA DOG (like an attack dog for the Queen) – He captained a ship that ambushed Spanish ships returning from the America’s full of gold and silver to help Queen Elizabeth. w England (very small country) was in a power struggle against the Spanish Empire.

To make a long story short…. w In a quick nut shell, Spain’s King Phillip II had been married to the previous Queen of England, Mary I who died childless. w Phillip II dreamed of adding England to his Empire and tried to get Mary’s ½ sister Elizabeth to marry him. w She turned him down flat…. He would not get over this insult.

Exploration Trip Trip #1 w Summer Raleigh who was too valuable to the Queen ordered one small ship to explore possible colony sites along the east coast. w They successfully found good land and traded with natives. w Returned to England a few weeks later with two Native Americans, Manteo and Wanchese and samples of things they had found.

w This became the 1 st English colony in the USA. w They wanted to establish possible English naval base since Spain controlled Florida. Roanoke Island Exploration Trip Trip #1 Roanoke Island

Return to Roanoke – Trip #2 w 1585 – Return to Roanoke to start colony. w Returned Manteo and Wanchese to village. w Artist John White comes along.

w Major Problem – Ship hits sand bar and takes on water, spoils the colonists food supply! w Richard Greenville heads back to England for supplies. w John White draws dozens of pictures of natives and their activities. w Other colonists were soldiers, wander country side looking for gold, don’t bother building housing, winter is coming….

w Natives had been supplying colonists with all their food. w By spring, they are running low and are tried of feeding all the colonists. w English then burn a Pamlico River settlement over possible stolen silver cup, Roanoke natives growing uneasy around English. w When Roanoke tribe stops feeding them, Ralph Lane invites native leaders to meeting and shoots them all dead.

w An English Fleet arrives one week later with provisions but it gets damaged. w When fleet returns to England, most of men return except 15 soldiers to hold the claim. w They are never seen again….

The Third Attempt w As a class read in your NC Textbook Pages 58 – 59 about the Last Trip to Roanoke.

Roanoke Island - Trip #3 w In 1587, Raleigh sent colonists a third time under John White (artist). w John White was the colony’s governor. w This time, the colonist brought their wives and children (farmers).

w 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 America.

w Wanchese Leader of Roanoke tribe – No help to English, killed one of their men. w Manteo is part of Croatoan people on another near by island, provide help. w English had planned to trade for food, but couldn’t get enough. w John White decides to take small ship they head back to England for supplies….

Spanish Armada attacks England w In 1588, King Philip II decided to attack England. w Queen Elizabeth refuses to let him go, she needs every ship to fight off Spanish. w The English defeat the all powerful Spanish Armada.

The Lost Colony w John White returned in August 1590 to find no colonists on Roanoke Island. w On one of the trees was written CROATOAN. w Croatoan was the name of an island nearby as well as the name of the Native Americans living in the area.

The Lost Colony w John White planned to travel to that island the next day. w Storm was coming, ship’s captain refused to take him. w John White never saw his family again. w No one knows for sure what happened to colonist….

The Lost Colony w As a class, discuss three possible reasons or causes as to what happened to the Lost Colony. w List these on your note sheet.