The Importance Of The Northwest Passage

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England was a beautiful country surrounded by water under the reign of Queen Elisabeth I, in 1576. At that time England did not have enough resources and importing became necessary. Trading was also major in England and prompted the need to find the Northwest Passage. The Northwest Passage would allow England to reach Asia quicker and more safely. The first country to find it would control it and gain great riches.
Sir Walter Raleigh and his half-brother Sir Humphrey Gilbert volunteered to find the Northwest Passage. In 1578 with the Queens permission Sir Walter Raleigh and Sir Humphrey Gilbert took different voyages to try to find the Northwest Passage. Unfortunately, Sir Humphrey Gilbert died trying to go through the Northwest Passage because it was frozen.
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Raleigh colonized the area of the land he found and named it Virginia after the “Virgin Queen”. In 1584 Queen Elisabeth I, allowed him to explore, colonize, and rule any remote, heathen and barbarous lands, countries, and territories, not actually possessed of any Christian Prince, nor inhabited by Christian People. In return for one-fifth of all the gold and silver, that might be mined there. The Queen gave Sir Walter Raleigh seven years to establish a settlement.
In 1617 Raleigh sent others to Roanoke to establish a colony. The people whom he sent to establish a colony on Roanoke Island were seeking refuge for religious freedom and relief from poverty. Raleigh was never able to establish a colony and Roanoke Island became a mystery because everyone there disappeared. However, this did not stop the movement that was taking place in Roanoke