ROANOKE COLONY

FACTS

• The Roanoke Colony was founded in 1587 by John White.
• It was financed by Sir Walter Raleigh.
• A year into the Colony John White had to return to England for supplies and could not return for three years.
• On his return he found the Colony abandoned and the words Croatoan in a post and Cro in a tree.

There are many theories that attempt to explain this event.One of the most popular is that the colonist likely suffering from starvation broke up and joined local Native tribes After that point there were many alleged sightings of Europeans and their influence on Native design and culture. Possible tribes they could have joined include the Croatian, the Chowanocs, the Weapemeocs, and the Iroquois.

Others believe that, running low on food, they resorted to cannibalism. The local tribes later reported that the colonists had had a war within their own ranks. Which might support this theory.

Another theory claims that Edgar Allen Poe, Amelia Earhart, Ambrose Bierce, Black Bart, and the ghost ship Carroll A. Deering all had a connection to the word before their disappearances. Having either spoken or written the word down before their disappearances or death.

Other theories include that they were massacred by Powhatan or the Spanish, tried to sail away and failed or they were sabotaged to discredit Sir Walter Raleigh.

Others claim still that they were victims of a plague, Zombie related incident, witches, Wendigos, forrest spirits, devils, or alien abduction.

CITATIONS

• "17 Theories Behind "Croatoan" and the Roanoke Colony Disappearance." Ranker. Ranker, n.d. Web. 16 May 2017.
• Pruitt, Sarah. "Archaeologists Find New Clues to "Lost Colony" Mystery." History.com. A&E Television Networks, 10 Aug. 2015. Web. 16 May 2017.
• Basu, Tanya. "Have We Found the Lost Colony of Roanoke Island?" National Geographic. National Geographic Society, 15 May 2017. Web. 16 May 2017.