Research Paper On The Lost Colony Of Roanoke

Established in 1585, The Lost Colony of Roanoke disappeared mysteriously. The Lost Colony, an early English establishment on Roanoke Island disappeared for an unknown reason in 1586. Scientists have struggled trying to crack this case for years with no credible theories. Certain findings have proven a few leads and theories regarding this case. Encyclopedia Britannica states many facts about The Lost Colony of Roanoke, now in Dare County, North Carolina. Investigations of the Lost Colony have continued over the centuries, but no one has come up with a satisfactory answer to what had caused the colony to disappear. When John White got appointed governor he went back to England to gather supplies in late 1857. He left behind his wife, daughter,

and infant granddaughter, but upon his return, he found no traces of his family or inhabitants of the abandoned colony. The only object found appeared as a sign with the word Croatoan, a native Indian tribe, carved on a post and CRO carved on a tree (Hogeback, The Lost Colony, Encyclopedia Britannica). The first group of settlers had many struggles, the Roanoke colonists appeared around this time and had the control over this area after a first settlement group. The colonists suffered from a low food supply and Indian attacks that they struggled to survive though, especially with their leader gone. Archeologists found that extreme drought conditions occurred between 1587 and 1589. They had undoubtedly stated that this condition contributed to the reason the colony got lost, but what remains a mystery seems where the Indians had disappeared. Four main theories appeared with the Native Americans taking over the land as the most feasible theory.
The most plausible theory appears as the Native Americans killing the colonists and taking over their land. The American Indians had several motives to want this land and area. They also had a chance to fight and capture the Roanoke colonists and take over their land while their leader, John White, had gone to England to help out and get more supplies. With the Roanoke colonists having no leader they had no voice against the American Indians. They may have had many reasons of taking this land, possibly the Indians could have needed supplies or reinforcements, alternatively, the colonists discovering America, tried to get rid of the Indians, which may appear as the reason they captured the colonist. News from the national geographic channel believes that previous colonists in the area before Roanoke burned down a Native American colony, and the Indians may have done this as an act of retaliation. The Native Americans may have also believed that the original neighboring colonies just used the tribe for the resources they previously had, then used the Indians to teach them how to grow crops and defend themselves, but instead ended up doing it for them and the Indians could have given their supplies to help instead the colonists took them. This gave the Native Americans a reason to doubt any new colony. The American Indians also could have felt that they needed to take something back that had once belonged to them, but got taken away. John White left the colony, leaving his wife and his daughter alone in Roanoke, but when he came back aboard appears as the only thing he found. The board, the only object that remained of this colony, appeared with the name Croatoan, which comes from a Native Indian tribe that lived nearby to the colony. This board clears enough doubt to choose this as the best theory, as the remaining cannot prove why the board appeared. According to Sarah Pruitt from history.com, this board causes many to believe why other theories may seem incorrect.
Our second theory addresses Spaniards and how they reacted to the colony, feeling threatened, the Spaniards must have decided to attack the English colony and prevent them from getting a hold of the new land.

Based on the clues left behind at the British colony, investigators also thought that Spaniards may have marched up from Florida and either killed or captured the new settlers for the greed of land, resources, or wealth. The Spaniards, at the time known for their bravery in capturing lands, may have hinted on what they planned next. As the governor of the new colony, John White left and sailed to England to gather more supplies for the colonists, but once he arrived in England, a major war broke out between England and Spain (What Happened to the Lost Colony of Roanoke, History.com). This war also slowed down the progress of his return to the colony, where he left his family and the other colonists, but as soon as John White had come back, no trace of the settlers got found, except a wooden post that had a name carved into it, but this has gotten discussed as part of an alternate theory. Due to the increase of a race in colonizing lands at the time, the Spanish may have felt harmed by the British settling in a colony in the New World. Many different reasons for why the Spaniards could have taken the new colonists or even why this all even took place, rather related to the Spaniards or not. Even with several proven facts, researchers still stumble upon other opinions

that could change over time. They may have just burned down the settlement and took away the settlers as slaves. The only fact in this whole theory that startles scientists appears as for why did the Spanish claim the settlement once they took it over? Such questions like these always come up in a scientist’s mind when researching the evidence. What really matters upon this colony; why did this tragic disappearance occur.

Our next possible theory includes the colonists trying to sail back to England by themselves, with no chosen leader present at the time.

After the colonists heard about war in England, they may have tried to sail back to help. They may have also decided to sail back to England because of the lack of supplies, such as food, tools, clothing, and shelter. When John White, their leader, went back to England, and left his wife and kid with the rest of the colonists. Three years later he returned with the supplies he needed to support the colony, but by then any trace of their civilization and colonists had disappeared. The theory of the colony sailing back to England seems far-fetched, but not impossible. Three years seems like a very long time away and the colonists that existed, already had a limited amount of supplies, to begin with. The war between England and Spain stopped British from immediately sending John White back to the colony. John White also stated that the winds and waves had become very rough, so one ship could not have made it across the ocean alone. Based on the facts provided above, it seems highly unlikely that they would try such a foolish attempt to sail back to their mainland. During their three year wait for John White, the colonists faced many difficulties like proper shelter and hunger. This theory also leaves many unanswered questions like the word “Croatoan” carved into a wooden post and why no remains of their colony appear. The word carved into

the tree could appear as a sign of territory. Evidently Native Americans wanted more land to expand their villages and take back what they used to have ownership of. Also, sailing across the ocean needs more than just a ship, especially with the hard winds and big waves. If this became the theory that had happened they would have to use their houses and framework for boats, however, as they would have started on their journey across the ocean, they would have gotten lost and died as maps seemed unclear and navigation had become a difficult job.
The final believed reason appears as diseases that swept the colony from existence. When the English settlement arrived in America, they brought disease with them. This could have also occurred, the disease can destroy and kill, and possibly spoiled medicines could have diseases within it. Since they did not have advanced medical care, they had become very vulnerable to disease. Smallpox had become one of the many known diseases getting passed around. Smallpox seemed extremely hard to cure, therefore it killed many people. Since they did not have advanced medicine back then, they would get easily affected by this and/or many other diseases. The research from Henry Howe shows that many other diseases including delirium, paranoia, or even complete madness infected many. Historyextra states Jamestown had gotten trapped in a food shortage and many Native Americans would not sell food to them. This created a lack of support in North Carolina tribes. Most diseases could get passed from one to another, so many feared the disease would harm them more than death, so instead many killed themselves (committed suicide) rather than having to endure the suffering of the harmful diseases. But the question, where did all the bodies go, disproves this theory At Jamestown, the disease would, again and again, take the strength of young colonies. Harmful diseases may have had a similar impact against Roanoke. People still did not have the medical care needed and the lower income families died, as they could not afford anything, other incomes could possibly afford some they could not afford anything, other incomes could possibly afford some medicine that still may appear effectless. Medicine and doctors also seemed very abundant around this time period. No bodies or graves appeared when John White arrived back in America, which makes this theory seem weaker. A whole colony dying of disease seems unlikely because of the possibility that some may have escaped.
The most plausible theory our case has revealed appears as the Native Indians capturing the colony and answering what happened to the Lost Colony of Roanoke. Many may have different theories, but this one seems the one to answer most questions. Along with this, many can figure out why this theory seems the most reasonable and all other theories can get disproved for several reasons. Even with Spaniards, sailing back to England, and disease, the Native Americans still appear as the most plausible theory. Most theories can get disproved, whereas this one seems to have multiple pieces of evidence supporting it.