In the late 1500s, England began colonizing North America. Their main reason was not just to claim and settle land, but also to stop Spain from controlling all the trade in the Americas. Spain had already claimed land in the Caribbean, Florida, and parts of Central and South America. Queen Elizabeth I of England hoped that by establishing colonies, English ships could attack Spanish ships and take their goods. The colony would also help protect the coast from Spanish control.
Sir Walter Raleigh was given permission to start a colony. In 1584, he sent two explorers to scout the area. They landed on the coast of what is now North Carolina and found Roanoke Island. This small island sits between the mainland and a group of barrier islands called the Outer Banks. The explorers said the land was rich and full of resources. One explorer said the soil was “plentiful, sweet, fruitful, and wholesome.” The explorers also met two Indigenous men, Manteo and Wanchese, who traveled back to England with them. Their stories helped Raleigh raise more support for the colony.
In 1585, the first group of settlers, mostly soldiers, arrived at Roanoke Island. But things quickly went wrong. A storm damaged their ships, and one of the biggest ships wrecked, and most of the colony’s food supplies were lost. Only about 100 men stayed behind while the rest returned to England.
The colonists tried to survive by building shelters and trading with the local Algonquian tribes. At first, relationships were peaceful. But soon, tensions rose, especially as English diseases spread to Indigenous populations. When an Indigenous leader named Wingina planned to cut off food to the colonists, he was killed. This ruined the colonists' connection with local tribes. When English explorer Sir Francis Drake arrived nearby in 1586, the remaining colonists left with him. The first colony had failed.
In 1587, a second group of settlers arrived. This time, it included women and children. Their leader, John White, planned to move north to the Chesapeake Bay. But the ship’s captain refused, and the settlers were left at Roanoke again. They rebuilt the fort and began trying to start a new life. White soon returned to England to get more supplies. Because of a war with Spain, he was not able to come back until 1590.
When White finally returned, the colony had vanished. The only clues were the word “CROATOAN” carved into a fence post and “CRO” carved into a tree. There were no signs of violence. White believed the settlers may have moved to nearby Croatoan Island, but storms kept him from checking. He never saw the colonists again.
Historians still do not know exactly what happened to the Lost Colony. Some believe the colonists joined Indigenous communities. Others think they may have died from a lack of food or conflict. Geography played a role in their struggle. Roanoke was isolated, hard to reach, and difficult to supply. However, the fate of the colonists remains one of the oldest mysteries in American history.