Roanoke

Original Text: Roanoke

Questionable disappearances occur perpetually, but during the colonial times it was unlikely. How could a whole colony disappear without traces? That is one of the greatest mysteries that occured at Roanoke island. During 1584, Sir Walter Raleigh sent Philip Amadas and Arthur Barlowe to scout the land searching for an ideal location to start a colony. When they returned a year later, they brought with them two Natives who attracted even the Queen’s attention. Amadas and Barlowe told stories of a great fertile island and soon enough Queen Elizabeth was overjoyed. She granted Sir Raleigh a patent to all the lands he could occupy. She named the new land “Virginia” in remembrance of the Virgin Queen.
The following year, Raleigh had sent a party of soldiers, craftsmen, and scholars totaling one hundred. Under the direction of Ralph Lane, they had arrived too late for the planting season and supplies were limited. They were surely doomed, but to intensify the issue one of the captains had murdered the chief of the neighboring tribe and sealed his own fate by doing so. When Sir Francis Drake arrived in 1586 the men had had enough. They soon abandoned the colony and left behind a fort which still stands today. Ironically, a supply ship was on their way loaded with supplies a week later. The leader of the supply ship ordered 15 men to stay behind and hold the fort while the rest of the crew returned to England for more reinforcements.
Raleigh was angered that they had abandoned and recruited more settlers for a more permanent settlement in 1587. Raleigh then decided that Chesapeake bay would offer a better site for the settlement. Raleigh hired a man named Simon Fernandes to help the colonists, but there was a war during that time and he could not sail there yet. Fernandes' orders were to check on the 15 men left behind on Roanoke island and also to provide transportation to the colonists. Upon arriving, he found

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Revised Text:


Questionable disappearances occur frequently, but during colonial times it was unlikely. How could a whole colony disappear without a trace? That is one of the great mysteries, it occurred at Roanoke island.

During 1584, Sir Walter Raleigh sent Philip Amadas and Arthur Barlowe to scout for an ideal location to start a colony. When they returned a year later, they brought with them two Natives who attracted even the Queen’s attention. Amadas and Barlowe told stories of a great fertile island and soon enough Queen Elizabeth was overjoyed. She granted Sir Raleigh a patent to all the lands he could occupy and he named the new land “Virginia” in remembrance of the Virgin Queen.

The following year, Raleigh sent a party of soldiers, craftsmen, and scholars totaling one hundred. Under the direction of Ralph Lane, they had arrived too late for the planting season and supplies were limited. They were surely doomed, and to intensify the issue, one of the captains had murdered the chief of a neighboring tribe and sealed his own fate by doing so. When Sir Francis Drake arrived in 1586, the men had had enough. They soon abandoned the colony and left behind a fort which still stands today. Ironically, a supply ship was on its' way loaded with supplies, arriving a week later. The leader of the supply ship ordered 15 men to stay behind and hold the fort while the rest of the crew returned to England for more reinforcements.

Raleigh was angered that they had abandoned the colony and recruited more settlers for a more permanent settlement in 1587. Raleigh then decided that Chesapeake bay would offer a better site for the settlement. Raleigh hired a man named Simon Fernandes to help the colonists, but there was a war during that time and he could not sail there yet. Fernandes' orders were to check on the 15 men left behind on Roanoke island and also to provide transportation to the colonists.

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