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The Lost Colony and Jamestown droughts
D W Stahle1, M K Cleaveland, D B Blanton
1Tree-Ring Laboratory, Department of Geography, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA. dstahle@comp.uark.edu
Science (New York, N.Y.)
|May 9, 1998
Summary
Extreme droughts impacted early English settlements in America. Tree-ring data reveal severe dry periods coincided with the disappearance of the Lost Colony and high mortality at Jamestown.
Area of Science:
- Paleoclimatology
- Environmental History
- North American Archaeology
Background:
- The early English colonial efforts in North America, specifically the Roanoke Island and Jamestown settlements, faced significant challenges.
- Understanding the environmental conditions during these periods is crucial for interpreting historical outcomes.
Observation:
- Tree-ring data from Virginia provide a high-resolution paleoclimate record spanning over 800 years.
- Analysis of these tree rings reveals periods of extreme drought intensity and duration.
Findings:
- The disappearance of the Lost Colony of Roanoke Island (1587-1589) coincided with the most severe drought in 800 years.
- The high mortality and near abandonment of the Jamestown Colony (1606-1612) occurred during the driest 7-year period in 770 years.
Implications:
- These findings directly implicate extreme climatic events, specifically prolonged droughts, in the failure and hardship of early colonial ventures.
- The study highlights the critical role of environmental factors in the success or failure of historical human settlements.
- This research offers a climatic explanation for pivotal events in early American history.