What happened to Roanoke?

English settlers arrived at Roanoke Island (off present day North Carolina) with 90 men, 20 women, and 10
children. They also
settled on Roanoke Island. John White was now their governor. After years with no food and poor relations with
natives John White
sailed back to England for more supplies and assistance. Due to a conflict between Spain and England, John
White could not return to
Roanoke until 1590.
When he finally arrived back to Roanoke Island, he finds the settlement deserted. White and his men found no
trace of the colonists he
left behind, including his own family members and there was no sign of violence. The only clue to the
mysterious disappearance
was the word “CROATOAN” carved into a post that had been built around the settlement. No one knows what
happened to the settlers.
Roanoke became known as “the Lost Colony.” Though the first two attempts to colonize on Roanoke Island
failed, British leaders
ultimately learned many lessons that would help later settlements become successful.
YOUR JOB:
Read the Documents in this packet here: Roanoke CSI Documents.pdf
Answer these questions in about a paragraph each:
What to you seems the most plausible answer as to what happened to the Colonists of Roanoke (cite your
answer from the documents)
Do you believe John White or English authorities should have done anything else to discover what happened
to the colonists (based upon his testimony)? If so, what would you suggest?
Based upon this event, what should England do to not have another Roanoke the next time a settlement is
attempted?
NOTE: Some of these documents can be hard to read. If you have trouble, there is a bit of a read through here
that may help. Beyond this, my Office Hours are open to you! https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=h5ZyCWEkRAY&ab_channel=BrentRudmann