The Lost Colony of Roanoke

1584: Queen Elizabeth gave Sir Walter Raleigh the right to claim land in North America.

1585: First group of settlers arrived at Roanoke

After a difficult winter, the colonists returned to England

1587: Raleigh sent 91 men, 17 women, and 9 children to Roanoke

John White was the leader of this expedition

Virginia Dare was born---1st English child born in North America

John White returns to England to get supplies

1590: John White returned and found the colony deserted

Roanoke colonists were never seen again

The Colony of Jamestown

1606: June- James I granted a charter to the Virginia Company of London to establish a settlement in the Chesapeake Bay

The purpose of the colony was to find gold, a route to the Pacific Ocean, and the colony of Roanoke

December: 108 men and boys set sail to Jamestown

  • Half were “gentlemen”, lured by land promises and wealth
  • The rest of the men were artisans, craftsmen, and laborers

1607: May 14- colonists landed on Jamestown Island, a peninsula on the banks of the James River

Land was swampy but upriver enough to be protected from Spanish ships

Settlers built a large, wooden, triangular fort

Laws made sure religion remained important (had to observe the Sabbath)

No gold, insects and disease plague the colony

Problems with the Powhatan’s: members of John Smith’s group kill some natives on a search for food and Smith is captured

  • Smith released in exchange for guns (Pocahontas negotiated release)

Winter was cold, only 38 colonists remained alive

1608: John Smith meets with Powhatan to trade. The two exchange “sons” to show good faith

Sept.: John Smith elected president of Jamestown Council

1609: John Smith injured in gunpowder accident and sent back to England

“Starving Time”: (the winter of 1609-10) cold, starvation, diseases, and attacks by local tribes killed almost 90% of the colonists

  • Residents ate anything possible (rats, leather from shoes)

1610: May- Hurricane survivors arrive

Colonists decided to head back to England due to a lack of supplies

Shortly after leaving, they run into a boat with supplies, colonists, and a new Virginia governor

1612: John Rolfe began growing tobacco

1613: Pocahontas taken hostage after a series of Powhatan attacks

Rolfe and Pocahontas fall in love

1614: Rolfe and Pocahontas are married

Jamestown began exporting tobacco

1616: Rolfe, Pocahontas, and others go to London to discuss the tobacco trade

King James disapproved the sale of tobacco but he thought the success of the colony depended on it

Tobacco became very popular in Europe and a key export of the colonies

1619: ships with women arrive in Jamestown

Women allow for marriage and the growth of families

Women were actually sold on the docks

Slaves arrive from Africa (Angola)