ROANOKE

This is a map by Artist John White depicting Virginia and its surrounding coastline. It was painted about the same time of the first expedition tp Virginia and Roanoke, c.1585.

1585-The First Expedition and Settlement of Roanoke Island by Sir Richard Greenville

-Chief Wingina of the Algonkin-speaking Native American tribe on Roanoke Island, was the first Native contact that Sir Greenville and his men had upon reaching and coasting off of Virginia, or what was known at the time as Windgancon. Relations with the Native Americans of the area were varied depending on tribe from this point on.

(picture to left is an artists rendering of a female member of Chief Wingina's tribe c. 1585. Source site: Samuel Elliot Morrison European Discovery of America)

-Sir Greenville returned to England for supplies promising to return the following year and leaving Governor Lane in charge of the settlement.

1586- Sir Francis Drake takes back to England all but two settlers from the First Roanoke Settlement when he goes to Roanoke Island on his was back to England from the West Indies.

1587-The Second settlement of Roanoke Island by the English occurred under Sir Walter Raleigh. Governor John White was in charge of this expedition and the settlement. -Governor White returned to England for supplies and promised to return the following year.

1590- After trouble getting ships out of England because of problems with the Spanish, and following Sir Raliegh's selling out of his interest in the colony, Governor White finally returns to Roanoke Island with five ships and more "colonists." -The settlement at Roanoke is found deserted and the only clue found by Governor White and his men is the word "Croatoan" carved into a tree." -Governor White returned to England for the last time.

(timeline is a modified version taken from Randolph Adam's 1935 article)

An important consideration when looking at the actions of the English on Roanoke Island is whether the settlement was considered to be a permanent settlement, or just a English outpost and base of militaristic operations...

It is still unknown exactly what happened to the settlers at Roanoke, although there have been several serious and valid theories...

To find out more about Roanoke Island, check out the Fort Raleigh National Historic Site Homepage

Works Cited: Adams, Randolph G. An Effort to Identify John White, The American Historical Review, Vol.41, Issue1 (Oct, 1935), 87-91. Morison, Samuel Elliot, The European Discovery of America, Oxford University Press: New York, 1971 Pearce, Haywood, Jr. New Light on the Roanoke Colony: A Preliminary Examination of a Stone Found In Chowan County, North Carolina The Journal of Southern History, Vol.4, Iss.2, (May 1938), 148-163. Quinn, David B. Preparations for the 1585 Virginia Voyage, William and Mary Quarterly, Third Series, Vol.6, Iss.2, (April 1949), 208-236.