1. European Explorers and the Lost Colonists

2. Giovanni da Verrazano and the French
Italian explorer working for the French
Sent to find a route to Asia
Thought the native people looked Asian
Believed the Pamlico Sound to be the water route to Asia
Actually landed at Portsmouth Island, near Cape Hatteras

3. Hernando de Soto and the Spanish
Sent with 600 soldiers to explore the southeastern U.S.
Crossed into NC in 1540
Followed Catawba river into Tennessee and reached Mississippi river where he died.
Never found the gold he sought
Treated the natives poorly and was mocked in their dances

4. Juan Pardo and More Spanish
Portuguese soldier in the Spanish army
Left a base camp on the South Carolina coast and other camps at Morganton, Salisbury, and Lincoln
Hoped to find gold and riches in the mountains; stayed several years before giving up

5. Walter Raleigh and the English
Sir Walter Raleigh and half brother Sir Humphrey Gilbert convinced Queen Elizabeth to allow them to search for the Northwest Passage
After several failed attempts, one of which took the life of Gilbert, Raleigh sent the first of several expeditions to the New World in 1583

6. The Lane Colony Raleigh’s second expedition to Roanoke
Thomas Harriot, scientist, and John White, artist, recorded the expedition
Built Fort Raleigh; wasted a lot of time digging for gold and fighting amongst themselves and natives
Returned to England with Sir Francis Drake

7. The White, or “Lost,” Colony
Led by John White and included women and children
Pilot of the ship dropped the colonists off and left them to search for gold
John White returned to England for supplies; upon arriving back in Roanoke, the colonists were gone with only “CROATOAN” carved on a tree
Fate of the colonists debated to this day