Chapter three

Settlements Take Root

Lesson Two

The English Colonies in

Virginia

The Lost Colony of Roanoke

England watched as their rival Spain started new colonies in the Americas. In the late 1500’s….What century would that be?

16th Century!!Anyway…Queen Elizabeth had many reasons for wanting colonies

in North America.

What were two reasons?

GoldOther natural

resources

Doing this would be difficult, expensive, and dangerous.

Why?Sir Walter Raleigh had

explored North America in the early

1580’s as a soldier and offered to settle a

colony for the Queen at a place he knew of

called Roanoke Island.

The first group landed in 1585 and returned home starving in 1586.

The next group Raleigh sent was led by John White in 1587. He led about 100 men, women, and children to Roanoke Island. When supplies ran out, White sailed back to England and was unable to return due to England being at war with Spain.

England and Spain were not great friends at this time. They were both attempting to claim land in North America. English ships were also raiding the Spanish ships as they were carrying gold and silver from the Americas to Spain. Who was the Englishman who angered the Spanish the most at this time?

He was known as the “Master Thief” and captured many Spanish ships. He was also a big part of defeating the Spanish Armada in 1588.

Meanwhile

Back at

Roanoke

Island...

The colony had made an agreement with White that they would leave a sign if they decided to leave camp. They had told him the sign would involve a cross if there was danger. The original plan was that they would travel about 50 miles inland.

This was the name of an American Indian group that lived near Roanoke Island.

Croatoan

The privateer captain would not wait for White to look for his people. No one know exactly what happened to them. Some believe they may have been captured by Spanish soldiers. Others believe they may have died in battles with Native Americans. Still others believe they went to live with the Croatoan people because they were starving.

The mystery still remains to this day. This is why Roanoke Island is known as “The Lost Colony.”