Syllabus Edition
First teaching 2024
First exams 2026
Attempted Colonisation of Virginia (Edexcel GCSE History)
Revision Note
Written by: Natasha Smith
Reviewed by: Bridgette Barrett
What Opportunities & Issues did Raleigh Encounter in Virginia? - Timeline & Summary
AWAITING IMAGE
From 1578, England desired colonies in the Americas. Throughout this period, Anglo-Spanish were poor. This caused Spain to restrict English merchants' access to the valuable markets in the Americas. Spain's empire dominated the Americas. Elizabeth knew that the ability to rival Spain in Europe stemmed from establishing American colonies. Through expeditions of discovery, the English believed the Mid-Atlantic region of North America was the ideal place for settlement. They called the region 'Virginia' and singled out Roanoke Island as the first English colony. The reality of colonisation did not match Elizabeth's vision. The voyages of multiple explorers ended in failure and the loss of investors' money. The numerous expeditions planned by Sir Walter Raleigh also failed. Raleigh made fundamental mistakes in the planning stage. He did not recruit an assortment of colonists. The settlement lacked the necessary survival skills. The colonists did not value their relationship with the indigenous people, the Algonquians and the Croatans. This was pivotal in causing the settlers to flee in 1586 and the disappearance of the whole colony on Roanoke Island by 1590. |
Sir Walter Raleigh
Sir Walter Raleigh was important to Queen Elizabeth
Raleigh was an explorer, author and historian
He was one of Elizabeth's favourite courtiers
After the success of Sir Francis Drake's circumnavigation of the world in 1580, Elizabeth's government desired to explore more of the Americas
Elizabeth gave Raleigh a grant to find a suitable colony for English settlers
The grant did not cover all of the costs of travelling and settling a new colony
Raleigh needed to attract new investors to raise enough money for the voyage
Elizabeth did not allow Raleigh to lead the voyage himself. He was responsible for:
Investigating a suitable territory in North America to establish a colony
Using his fame and influence to persuade enough people to become colonists
Developing a plan to transport the colonists to the Americas
Choosing a governor of the new colony to maintain law and order
Ensuring other explorers could duplicate his plan to establish more colonies
The Colonisation of Virginia
In 1584, Raleigh sent an expedition to discover a suitable place in North America to establish a colony
The expedition found an ideal location. Captain Arthur Barlowe called the area 'Virginia' in his report back to England
The name 'Virginia' was important. It symbolised the region was for the 'Virgin' Queen Elizabeth. It also represented how other European colonists had not touched the region
The expedition sent back positive reports of Virginia
The English explorers encountered the indigenous community called the Algonquians
The Algonquians had an organised system of government
They met Chief Wingina, the ruler of several settlements on Roanoke Island. The English understood that they needed to work with the indigenous people in America
Raleigh was sponsored by private investors and Queen Elizabeth I to colonise Virginia
In August 1585, 107 colonists landed on Roanoke Island
Why was the Colonisation of Virginia Significant?
There were several motivating factors behind the colonisation of Virginia. These were:
Taking power away from Spain
England could attack Spain's American colonies from Virginia
England wanted to rival Spain's supremacy in the Americas. An English colony in the Americas would increase England's trade and influence with the indigenous people
England wanted to create an empire as powerful as Spain's. Elizabethan attempts to colonise the Americas in the 16th century led to Britain possessing the most powerful empire by the 19th century
Boosting the economy
Merchants desired to find new groups to trade with. The conflict with Spain prevented English merchants from trading wool in the Netherlands
The climate of the Americas had similarities with the Mediterranean. If England could create colonies in the Americas, England could gain resources without trading with Spanish-controlled territories. For example, England could grow their own fruit and spices
England would gain access to valuable, rare raw materials. Tobacco and sugar were growing in popularity in England
Why Did the Virginia Colony Fail in 1585-86?
Raleigh's Virginia project failed
The surviving colonists left Virginia and arrived back in England in 1586
Reasons for the failure of the Virginia colony
Worked Example
Describe one feature of the failure of the Virginia colony by 1586
2 marks
Answers:
One feature of the failure of the Virginia colony was the colonists' inexperience (1). Raleigh brought together craftsmen who could not use their skills in Roanoke, for example, bakers and weavers (1).
Examiner Tips and Tricks
Some students are tempted to write more than one feature for this question. This is unnecessary and not an effective use of your time. Focus on the one required feature.
This question previously asked students to describe two features of a given event. This question was out of four marks. However, as of 2025, Edexcel will split this question into two subsections, asking you to describe a feature of two different events. Each subsection is worth two marks.
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