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=Sir Walter Raleigh=



Driving Questions:

 * Who is Sir Walter Raleigh?
 * Why did he go exploring and what was his goal?
 * What was the route that he chose, why did he take this route, and what did he find along the way?
 * How did he finance his trip, what did he take with him, and how did this affect his trip?
 * Why was Sir Walter Raleigh's exploration so important?

Sir Walter Raleigh was most likely born in 1552 in Hayes Barton in Devonshire, England. Throughout Sir Walter Raleigh's life, he picks up such titles as: an English soldier, seaman, writer, politician, and most notably a colonizer. His father was also Walter Raleigh, a protestant who was married three times. Sir Walter Raleigh was also related to Sir Richard Grenville and Sir Francis Drake who were both famous explorers of their times.

Sir Walter Raleigh was born into a family of expert explorers but first started sailing as a privateer against the Spanish. Sir Walter Raleigh's brother, Sir Humphrey Gilbert, received a patent for six years from Queen Elizabeth giving him the rights to explore and colonize any barbaric lands that were not Christian. Also, in 1617, Raleigh sailed to South America in search for El Dorado, or the City of Gold.

Raleigh's men took a route to the coast of America and claimed Virginia, a large amount of land which was named after the Virgin Queen, Elizabeth. Roanoke Island was the major settlement in Virginia but the colony did not last and is now referred to as the lost colony. What Raleigh's men discovered from the local Indians was potatoes and tobacco, which would change England's social forever. The potatoes discovered in the New World introduced potato growing into Ireland and smoking became a big hit in England.

Sir Walter Raleigh earned his wealth by receiving lucrative monopolies and wonderful estates from Queen Elizabeth. The Queen gave Raleigh such royalties because of their relationship; it is said that the two became acquaintances when Raleigh put his cloak over a puddle so that the Queens shoes would not get ruined. Raleigh took two vessels which would have allowed him to hold a great deal of supplies and food for weeks.

Sir Walter Raleigh's exploration was so important because he brought potatoes and tobacco to Europe. He also settled Roanoke Island in the New World, and named the large mass around that area Virginia. Raleigh also went on an adventure to find the City of Gold but never did discover it. Raleigh's exploration of the New World was beneficial to the social life back home in Europe.