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Nobody knows for sure; thought it was probably some combination of food shortages, disease, and conflict with the natives, and the Colonists did not know how to survive in their new environment. Also, it was built on a marsh and they did NOT have enough supplies!

They didn't start farming when they got there. Plus, the first attempt was all soldiers, so there were no women to 'keep the peace'. And because the soldiers were not exactly kind to the Indians when they arrived, the Indians probably weren't to concerned with the colonists health. the second attempt, however, failed because when John white returned to England for more supplies, he couldn't return for 3 more years, because England was at war with Spain. when he returned, there was nobody there.

After two failed attempts to establish a colony on the Atlantic coast of America, Sir Walter Raleigh sent 150 settlers to the island on Roanoke Island in 1587. Things began badly since it was too late in the year to plant a crop and the natives were hostile. The fate of the 1587 Roanoke Island Colony is unknown. When John White returned in 1590 he found no trace of the colonists, including his daughter Eleanor, son-in-law Ananias, and their daughter Virginia.

Two possible clues were found - "CROATOAN and "CRO" carved on a tree and a post. This might have indicated that at least some of the colonists moved south to live with the friendly natives. Some may have moved north to the Chesapeake Bay (the place they were supposed to go to), some may have tried to sail back to England (they had a pinnace at their disposal) and some may have moved inland. We just don't know.

The lost colony of Roanoke, is one of US history's greatest mysteries.

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10y ago

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