- Roanoke established the English interest in the New World.
- Provided a base of operations for English explorers and colonists.
- Contributed to the development of English navigation and shipbuilding.
Social effects
- Roanoke is the first English colony in the New World.
- Failed attempts to establish a colony and the mystery surrounding the fate of the colonists helped to shape the development of American myth and folklore.
Political effects
- Roanoke helped establish the precedent for English colonization in North America.
- The failure of the colony and conflicts between the colonists and the Native Americans helped shape English colonial policies.
- Laid the foundation for the future settlement of Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in North America.
Cultural effects
- Roanoke introduced English culture to the New World.
- Inspired various literature, art, music, and other cultural works such as the play Roanoke by William Shakespeare and the novel In Search of Roanoke by Howard Fast.