The Lost Colony of Roanoke Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Lost Colony of Roanoke - Essay Example Although it is not possible to solve this particular mystery without concrete forensic evidence or the discovery of new information, the discussion that will be presented seeks to define a likely scenario that was the result of situations that were recorded by several individuals and represented within the history of the Roanoke colonists. Before delving directly into the issue, it is necessary to appreciate that the colony of Roanoke was a charter colony; established by Sir Walter Raleigh and Queen Elizabeth I. As a charter colony, it was intended as a foothold within the New World and the potential challenge to Spain’s continue development within the region. It was the hope of Queen Elizabeth I, and Sir Walter Raleigh that the Roanoke colony would be able to provide a relatively quick return on investment in English. Whereas it is true that the coffers of Queen Elizabeth I were not shallow, these undertakings and planting colonies around the world were specifically expensive and required the dedication of resources, manpower, and ships; all of these being resources that were desired and demanded by different individuals and power throughout the kingdom. As Sir Walter Raleigh and Queen Elizabeth I shared a â€Å"special relationship†, and one that many analysts believe could have been sexual, the agreem ent to provide Raleigh with the necessary resources might not have been performed out of due diligence or based upon the possibility of profitability (Haskell, 2012). Regardless of the rationale, Queen Elizabeth the I provided Sir Walter Raleigh with five ships and a contingent of colonists and supplies that were directed to establish a preliminary colony in North America. The general agreement was that these colonists would be performing two distinct functions at the same time. The first function was to determine whether or not an English colony in North America