In the 16th century France, Spain, Portugal, and other European countries sent out explorers to establish settlements and explore for goods to take back for their country. England starting to see their enemies grow stronger with goods such as gold ore, lumber, and slaves. To start bringing more wealth and power to England, Queen Elizabeth I started to send out expeditions to form settlement in the Americas. The first venture was the Roanoke colony later referred to as "The Lost Colony." Unfortunately, the Roanoke colony was unsuccessful, but the next two colonies (Jamestown and Plymouth) were successful although each had their problems that the colonist had to overcome.
             In 1576, Sir Humphrey Gilbert promoted his idea of a short passageway to China and to set up a colony in Newfoundland. The Queen of England, Queen Elizabeth I, agreed with his idea. She gave Sir Gilbert exclusive rights to proceed with his plan. After his death Walter Raleigh, his half-brother, was also giving a patent for the same idea. The colony of Roanoke was supposed to be a colony where the English could attack the Spanish shipping, hunt for good, and convert the Indians to Protestant Christianity. All attempts failed. The relations with the Indians were hostile. The supplies were running low and the backup support never arrived. There was a low morale in the troops so when Francis Drake arrived in 1586 he took the soldiers back to England. John White led a third English venture to the Roanoke islands in 1587. Again the colony struggled with the food and supply as well as with the Indians. The settlers agreed to send White back to England for some supplies and to leave a message for him if they moved. Whites trip back to Roanoke was delayed by the warfare between Spain and England. When he returned to Roanoke in 1590 he found the site deserted. He found a word carved on a post that said Croatoan, a nearby Indian tribe. No one knows what really happened the s...