Introduction
Roanoke, which has been largely regarded as a failed attempt to extend British influence in the New World, is perhaps one of the most intensely discussed modern mysteries. The colony was discovered over 400 years ago, and most of the legend surrounding Roanoke is concentrated on the inexplicable disappearance of its people (Wisdom, 2023). The seemingly commonplace features, such as the colony’s origins and the life the people led, are often excluded. However, both elements above are critical to contextualizing the factors that may have contributed to the colony’s disappearance.
Walter Raleigh
Specific individuals played a key role in establishing the Roanoke settlement. The most relevant figure was Walter Raleigh, who, since 1583, held the official position of key advocate for establishing English colonies in the New World (Wisdom, 2023). By attacking Spain’s colonies in the New World, he aimed to play a crucial role in England’s quest to become the dominant power in the newly discovered territories.
Raleigh believed that by creating settlements in regions seldom explored by European nations, England might replace Spain’s claim to dominate most of the Americas (Wisdom, 2023). Several individuals banded together to help Raleigh in his quest to establish settlements along the coast of North America. The men provided financial and political backing, as well as the skills to pilot the ships to the new lands.
The race to establish a colony was premised on gaining an upper hand over Spain. The settlers envisioned a colony that would facilitate British privateering to profit while hindering all Spanish efforts at progress (Wisdom, 2023). As a result, the site had to meet key considerations.
To safeguard the colony from Spanish invasions, the settlers chose a location with access to the path that Spanish treasure ships traveled, which was well disguised. With this in mind, the decision was taken to create the first British New World colony in North Carolina (Wisdom, 2023). Because the colony was founded on military, rather than familial, objectives, the ships bound for Roanoke consisted entirely of men (Wisdom, 2023).
The initial wave consisted of five ships to establish the colony in April 1585, with 200 men following later (Wisdom, 2023). Ralph Lane, a veteran of the battle to colonize Ireland, was left in charge of the newly established settlement (Wisdom, 2023). Britain finally gained access to a strategic location from which to wage war against its European enemies.
Theories
Several theories explain the events surrounding the disappearance of the colony. The most popular and realistic argument among historians regarding the colonists’ fate is that they left their settlement and moved to Croatoan (Wisdom, 2023). This is based on John White’s instructions to the settlement before he departs for England and the hints left behind at the colony. The people eventually relocated to the southern side of the Chesapeake Bay, where it is theorized that they were taken in by the Chesapeake Indians, with whom they intermarried (Wisdom, 2023).
Support for the theory is evident today in members of the Lumbee tribe, who exhibit white traits such as a pale complexion and blue eyes. The individuals claim to trace their ancestry back to the Lost Colony and the Indian tribes. It is worth noting that the Lumbee tribe’s lineage is speculative, and many of its members dispute the assertions above.
However, some evidence suggests that the settlers relocated from their colony. Evidence from NASA suggests that the people of early European settlements in Roanoke and Jamestown documented relentless winters, as well as the food shortages that plagued them (Banaji & Banaji, 2022). The early settlers theorized incorrectly that the climate in some areas of the colonies would be comparable to that of Europe. Instead, when the colonists arrived, they discovered significantly more challenging living conditions, with more severe winters and warmer summers, which were exacerbated by the fact that the Little Ice Age was also occurring simultaneously (Banaji & Banaji, 2022).
The colonists’ lack of preparation ultimately led to challenging harvesting times and conflicts with local communities, as people competed over scarce resources, culminating in the eventual collapse of both communities (Banaji & Banaji, 2022). It stands to reason that the people were forced to leave due to the harsh conditions they had to contend with.
Numerous other theories have been proposed to explain the colony’s mysterious disappearance. One common one is that the Roanoke settlers traveled south to join the Chesapeake Indians, only to be murdered by Powhatan (Wisdom, 2023). Powhatan massacred the colonists and Chesapeake Indians in April 1607, according to John Smith, who was the governor of Jamestown (Wisdom, 2023). The governor believed in a prophecy that his constituents faced potential danger from an unidentified tribe in the lower Chesapeake. However, Powhatan’s slaughter of the Roanoke colony seems doubtful, as Smith is an untrustworthy narrator known for embellishing events (Wisdom, 2023).
Most historians think that Smith’s most famous narrative of being spared from death by Pocahontas, Powhatan’s daughter, either did not occur or did not occur in the manner he described (Wisdom, 2023). The theory is considered unlikely, seeing as there is no evidence to support a massacre.
To fully understand what transpired during the initial attempt to establish a British settlement in North America, one must first grasp the complexities involved. Specifically, the settler’s complex relationship with the surrounding Indians and the charged tussle with the Spanish (Wisdom, 2023). Whilst historians may never wholly uncover the events that transpired following John White’s departure from Roanoke in 1587, ample evidence exists to piece together a credible theory. For instance, the simple initials etched into the trees, together with the directions that White left before his departure, coupled with the absence of any indication of an Indian attack at the site, all indicate that the Roanoke colonists moved and survived.
Conclusion
The lost colony of Roanoke presents a challenging conundrum, given that documented accounts of the events that transpired at the site are scarce. The mysterious disappearance of the New World settlers has gripped the imagination of citizens and historians alike. Numerous theories, many of which lack credible evidence, have been proposed to explain the event. Closely examining the conditions in which the settlers found themselves and the inevitability of the skirmishes that resulted in the struggle for scarce resources offers insight into what probably happened at the colony. The harsh realities the people had to contend with likely forced them to flee as they sought reprieve from the vicissitudes of a new landscape.
References
Banaji, S., & Banaji, S. (2022). The Little Ice Age, NASA, Colonial Virginia, and the conundrum of anomalous weather conditions. Advances in Historical Studies, 11(4), 180–187. Web.
Wisdom, A. (2023). The lost colony of Roanoke. Tenor of Our Times, 12(18), 182-201. Web.