As the United States prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary this year, a major British podcast is marking the historic occasion with a deep dive into the nation's dramatic birth. The Daily Mail's acclaimed series, Queens, Kings and Dastardly Things, has launched a special three-part series focusing on the Revolutionary War, beginning with the perilous early attempts at colonisation.
The Perilous Quest for a New World
In the first episode, titled 'The Last King of America - Part 1', royal historians Robert Hardman and Kate Williams trace the founding of the USA from the arrival of the first English colonists to the pivotal Declaration of Independence in 1776. Williams vividly describes the extreme dangers faced by those early pioneers, drawing a stark parallel to modern ambitions.
"I compare those first settlers to people who say they would go and live on Mars today," Williams explained. "They knew they would be boarding a ship and going to a place they would likely never come back from. They knew they could die on the journey. They didn't know what was waiting for them when they arrived." Despite the overwhelming odds, the tantalising prospect of a better life proved an irresistible lure.
The Enduring Enigma of Roanoke
The podcast delves into one of history's greatest unsolved mysteries: the fate of the Lost Colony of Roanoke. Planned and funded by the legendary explorer Sir Walter Raleigh on behalf of Queen Elizabeth I, the settlement was England's bold attempt to challenge Spanish dominance in the New World. Yet, despite royal backing, the colony collapsed when all 117 colonists vanished without a trace.
Led by Governor John White, the group—which included White's pregnant daughter—faced immediate hardship. Abandoned at the wrong location and after violent skirmishes with local Native American tribes, the settlers quickly exhausted their supplies. White was forced to sail back to England for aid, but his return was delayed for almost three years by the war with Spain and the threat of the Spanish Armada in 1588.
Upon his eventual return, White found Roanoke completely deserted. The only clue was the word 'Croatoan'—the name of a local tribe—carved into a tree. "It's a mystery what happened," Williams states. "Did they die or were they assimilated into the local population?"
Theories and Legacy of a Lost Colony
Historians have long debated the settlers' fate. One theory suggests they were massacred or starved after venturing inland in search of food. However, a more compelling theory, which Williams explores, posits that the English assimilated into the Croatoan tribe. Archaeological evidence supports this, with excavations on nearby Hatteras Island uncovering English pottery, German coins, and European sword fragments.
Furthermore, later colonists reported encountering Native Americans with blue eyes who spoke perfect English. If the settlers did join a friendly tribe, the 'Croatoan' carving may have been a deliberate message left behind. Scientists continue to search for definitive proof through genetic analysis of local burial sites.
The failure at Roanoke provided harsh lessons for future endeavours. When the first permanent English settlement was finally established at Jamestown in 1607, its founders worked more closely with Native Americans for supplies and knowledge, a strategy arguably informed by Roanoke's tragic outcome.
The Queens, Kings and Dastardly Things podcast series offers a gripping exploration of this foundational era. 'The Last King of America - Part 1' is available now on YouTube and all major podcast platforms.
