Hypotheses on Disappearance
The end of Roanoke Colony is unrecorded, leading to it being referred to as the "Lost Colony", and there are multiple hypotheses as to the fate of the colonists.
Powhatan Confederacy
Chief Powhatan
- Assigned task for John Smith and Jamestown colonists in Virginia was to locate Roanoke colonists
- Chief Powhatan told Smith about his Powhatan Confederacy
- Powhatan had wiped out Roanoke colonists prior to arrival of Jamestown settlers because they were living with Chesepians (a tribe who refused to join Chief Powhatan's Powhatan Confederacy --> scheming to rise up and destroy empire)
Cannibalism
- Colony might have been attacked and members eaten by Native American cannibals
Dare Stones
A Dare Stone
- Series of stones written by Eleanor Dare discovered
- Told of travelings of colonists and ultimate deaths
Virginea Pars Map
Map drawn by John White of Roanoke Colony in 1587
- Map drawn and once owned by John White
- Two patches on map (as if map has been corrected)
- One theory is settlers moved westward towards Albemarle Sound by Roanoke and Chowans Rivers
Lost at Sea
- White left colonists with several small ships for the option to explore off coast or to travel to mainland
- Colonists may have given up waiting, tried to return to England on their own, and perished in attempt
Roanoke Island has a significant place in American history as the first attempt at an English settlement in the New World. Yet despite substantial evidence and theories, the true fate of Roanoke has yet to be determined. However, these hypotheses were taken into account in future colonization efforts, for Roanoke Colony had become a cautionary tale to the subsequent settlements of America.
A website by Jenessa M., Emily M., and Sophie Z.