ERIC Number: ED285807
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 1985
Pages: 129
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: ISBN-0-86526-206-3
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Sir Walter Ralegh and the New World.
Shirley, John W.
America's Four Hundredth Anniversary Committee, formed in 1978 under the provisions of an act of the North Carolina General Assembly of 1973, was charged with recommending plans for the observance of the quadricentennial of the first English attempts to explore and settle North America. The committee has proposed to carry out a variety of programs to appeal to a broad range of people. Among these is a publications program that includes a series of booklets dealing with the history of the events and people of the 1580s that will serve as lasting reminders of America's indebtedness to England. In 1580, Queen Elizabeth I was enjoying a reign that was for the most part peaceful. It was a period of prosperity during which English mariners began to venture farther from home, and in time talk began to be heard of hopes to establish naval bases and colonies in North America. Walter Ralegh (as he most often wrote his name) of County Devon became a favorite of the queen, and on him she bestowed a variety of honors and rewards. It was he to whom she granted a charter in 1584 authorizing the discovery and occupation of what is now North Carolina. Ralegh sent a reconnaissance expedition, and this was followed in due time by a colonial settlement under the leadership of Ralph Lane which lasted for nearly a year. In the summer of 1587, Governor John White and a colony of 115 men, women, and children arrived and occupied the houses and fort left by Lane. The brief annals of this colony are recorded in a journal kept by Governor White, who returned to England for supplies. His departure was the last contact with the settlers who constituted the "Lost Colony," renowned in history, literature, and folklore. From these voyages and colonizing efforts came the conviction that an English nation could be established in North America. Because of Sir Walter Ralegh's vision, England persisted. Because of England's persistence and its refusal to yield to Spain's claims to the region, the United States today has a predominantly English heritage. (BZ)
Descriptors: American Indian Culture, Colonial History (United States), Diplomatic History, Folk Culture, Legends, United States History, World History
Historical Publications Section, North Carolina Division of Archives and History, 109 East Jones Street, Raleigh, NC 27611 ($5.00 plus $1.00 postage).
Publication Type: Historical Materials
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: North Carolina State Dept. of Cultural Resources, Raleigh. Div. of Archives and History.
Identifiers - Location: North Carolina
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A