The Lost Colony of Roanoke

The Actual First British

Settlement in North America

By: Courtney James

According to Your Textbook…

Jamestown was the First Permanent

British Settlement in

North America

Founding of Jamestown

•  Founded in 1607 •  Voyage led by Captain

John Smith •  Journey took 4

months •  Fort James built to

protect the settlement

Fort James and Jamestown

Jamestown

A Disastrous Beginning

•  Neglected farming, in search of gold

•  Disease from contaminated river water

•  Lack of harvest led to starvation

•  John Smith gained support from Powhatan tribe, helping colonists to grow food

•  Due to injury, John Smith returns to England

•  The colony deteriorates to the point of famine

•  Tobacco will become the cash crop, enabling the colony to survive

Roanoke

The First British Settlement in North America

•  Founded in July 1587 (20 Years before Jamestown)

•  Voyage led by John White •  Colonists made up of 115

men, women, and children •  August 18, 1587- Virginia

Dare becomes the first English child born in America

Roanoke

Roanoke

Where the Mystery Begins

•  Late 1587, John White goes back to England

•  Due to the impending Spanish Armada, White is unable to return for 3 years

•  Upon return, White finds the settlement deserted

•  No sign of life or struggle

Roanoke

Reasoning Behind the Cover-up

•  Integration into local American Indian tribes o  Chowanoke

•  Attacked by local tribes o Chesepians

Roanoke

Reasoning Behind the Cover-up Continued…

•  Lost at sea

•  Destroyed by the Spanish

Roanoke

Using Science to Discover the Truth

•  Lost Colony DNA Project •  Launched in 2005 •  Uses DNA to identify

potential descendants within native populations

References •  Danzer, G.A., Klor de Alva, J.J., Krieger, L.S., Wilson, L.E., Woloch, N.

(2006). The Americans: Reconstruction to the 21st century. Austin, TX: McDougal Littell.

•  McMillan, H.A.M. (1888). Sir Walter Raleigh’s lost sketch of the attempts of Sir Walter Raleigh to establish a colony in Virginia. Wilson, NC: Advance Presses. Retrieved from http:// books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=DFUVAAA AYAAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA1&dq=roanoke+croatoan&ots=9CG 1NbrktB&sig=nwWk4RLLBmvymHdvKnbjwen99DY#v=one page&q=roanoke%20croatoan&f=false

•  Thorpe, F. N. (1906). The Federal and State Constitutions Colonial Charters, and Other Organic Laws of the States, Territories, and Colonies Now or Heretofore Forming the United States of America. Washington, DC : Government Printing Office, 1909. Retrieved from http://avalon.law.yale.edu/16th_century/ raleigh.asp

•  Wolfe, B. The Roanoke Colonies. (2012). In Encyclopedia Virginia. Retrieved from http://www.EncyclopediaVirginia.org/ Roanoke_Colonies_The.

References: Online Resources •  h"p://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/  

•  h"p://gseacademic.harvard.edu/~instruct/ar=culate/apa_mod/APA_Module3/player.html  

•  h"p://gseacademic.harvard.edu/~instruct/ar=culate/apa_mod/APA_Module4/player.html