See Also

John Cabot

Giovanni Caboto , known in English English language

English is a widely distributed language that originated in England [i] but is now the primary language ... 

 as John Cabot, was an Italian Italy

Italy, officially the Italian Republic , is a Southern European [i] country. ... 

 navigator and explorer commonly credited as the first early modern European to discover the North America North America

North America is a continent [i] in the Earth [i]'s northern hemisphere [i] and almost fully in the western hemisphere [i] ... 

n mainland, in 1497, notwithstanding Leif Ericson Leif Ericson

Leif Ericson was an Iceland [i]ic explorer and the first European definitively known to have landed in North America [i] ... 

's landing .

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Timeline

1496   England England

England is the largest and most populous constituent country [i] of the United Kingdom [i]. ... 

 King Henry VII Henry VII of England

Henry VII , King of England [i], Lord of Ireland [i] , was the fo ... 

 issued letters patern to John Cabot and his sons, authorizing them to discover unknown lands.

1497   John Cabot sets sail from Bristol Bristol

Bristol is a city [i], unitary authority [i] and ceremonial county [i] ... 

 on his ship the ''Mathew'' looking for a route to the west (other documents give a May 2 date).

1497   John Cabot lands in North America North America

North America is a continent [i] in the Earth [i]'s northern hemisphere [i] and almost fully in the western hemisphere [i] ... 

, either an island or the mainland.

1498   John Cabot leaves port on an expedition, never to be seen again.

1499   Died



Encyclopedia



Giovanni Caboto , known in English English language

English is a widely distributed language that originated in England [i] but is now the primary language ... 

 as John Cabot, was an Italian Italy

Italy, officially the Italian Republic , is a Southern European [i] country. ... 

 navigator and explorer commonly credited as the first early modern European to discover the North America North America

North America is a continent [i] in the Earth [i]'s northern hemisphere [i] and almost fully in the western hemisphere [i]... 

n mainland, in 1497, notwithstanding Leif Ericson Leif Ericson

Leif Ericson was an Iceland [i]ic explorer and the first European definitively known to have landed in North America [i] ... 

's landing .

Biography

Cabot was born in either 1450 or 1451 in Genoa Genoa

Genoa is a city [i] and a seaport [i] in northern Italy [i], the capital of the Province of Genoa [i] a ... 

, Gaeta Gaeta

Gaeta is a city and comune [i] in the province of Latina [i], in Lazio [i], central Italy [i]. ... 

, or Chioggia. When he was 11, he moved to Venice Venice

Venice is the capital [i] of the region [i] of Veneto [i] and the province of the same name [i] ... 

 and became a Venetian citizen.

Like other Italian explorers of the era, such as Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus

Christopher Columbus Italian [i] Cristoforo Colombo; Spanish [i]: ... 

 , Cabot made another country his base of operations. For Cabot it was England Kingdom of England

The Kingdom of England was a state [i] located in western Europe [i], in the southern part of the islan ... 

, so his explorations were made under the English flag. The voyage that saw him and his crew discover the North America North America

North America is a continent [i] in the Earth [i]'s northern hemisphere [i] and almost fully in the western hemisphere [i]... 

n mainland – the first Europeans known to do so since the Viking Viking

The term Viking commonly denotes the ship-borne explorers, traders, and warriors of the Norsemen [i] who ... 

s – took place in 1497, five years after Columbus' discovery of the Caribbean Caribbean

The Caribbean is a region [i] of the Americas [i] consisting of the Caribbean Sea [i], its island [i]s... 

. Again, like Columbus, Cabot's intention had been to find a westerly sea route to Asia Asia

Asia is the largest and most populous continent [i] or region, depending on the definition.... 

.

It was probably on hearing of Columbus Christopher Columbus

Christopher Columbus Italian [i] Cristoforo Colombo; Spanish [i]: ... 

's discovery of 'the Indies' that he decided to find a route to the west for himself. He went with his plans to England, because he incorrectly thought spices Spice trade

The spice trade has been of major economic importance throughout human history and it particularly helpe... 

 were coming from northern Asia Asia

Asia is the largest and most populous continent [i] or region, depending on the definition.... 

; and a degree of longitude is shorter the further one is from the equator Equator

The equator is an imaginary circle [i] drawn around a planet [i] at a distance halfway between the pole [i] ... 

, so the voyage from western Europe Europe

Europe is one of the seven traditional continent [i]s of the Earth [i]. ... 

 to eastern Asia would be shorter at higher latitudes.

King Henry VII of England Henry VII of England

Henry VII , King of England [i], Lord of Ireland [i] , was the fo ... 

 gave him a grant to go on "full and free authoritie, leave, and power, to sayle to all partes, countreys, a see as, of the East, of the West, and of the North, under our banners and ensignes, with five ships ... and as many mariners or men as they will have in saide ships, upon their own proper costes and charges, to seeke out, discover, and finde, whatsoever iles, countreyes, regions or provinces of the heathen and infidelles, whatsoever they bee, and in what part of the world soever they be, whiche before this time have beene unknowen to all Christians."

Cabot went to Bristol to make the preparations for his voyage. Bristol Bristol

Bristol is a city [i], unitary authority [i] and ceremonial county [i] ... 

 was the second-largest seaport in England, and during the years from 1480 onwards several expeditions had been sent out to look for Hy-Brazil, an island said to lie somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean Atlantic Ocean

The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest ocean [i], covering approximately one-fifth of the Earth [i]'s ... 

 according to Celtic Celt

The term Celt, normally pronounced // , refers to a member of any of a number of peoples in Europe u... 

 legends. Some people even think Newfoundland Newfoundland

Newfoundland is a large island off the east coast of North America [i], and the most populous part o ... 

 may have been found on one of these voyages.

In 1496 Cabot set out from Bristol with one ship. But he got no further than Iceland Iceland

Iceland, officially the Republic of Iceland is a volcanic island nation [i] in the northern Atlantic Ocean [i]... 

 and was forced to return because of disputes with the crew.
On a second voyage Cabot again used only one ship with 18 crew, the Matthew, a small ship , but fast and able. He departed on either May 2 or May 20, 1497 and sailed to Dursey Head, Ireland Ireland

Ireland is the third largest [i] island [i] in Europe [i]. ... 

. From there he sailed due west to Asia - or so he thought. He landed on the coast of Newfoundland on June 24, 1497. His precise landing-place is a matter of controversy, either Bonavista Bonavista, Newfoundland and Labrador

Bonavista is a town [i] on the Bonavista Peninsula [i] in the Canadian province [i] of Newfoundland and Labrador [i] ... 

 or St. John's St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

The Canadian [i] city of St.... 

. He went ashore to take possession of the land, and explored the coast for some time, and probably departed on July 20. On the homeward voyage his sailors thought they were going too far north, so Cabot sailed a more southerly course, reaching Brittany Brittany

Brittany is a former independent kingdom and duchy, then province of France [i] and... 

 instead of England, and on August 6 arrived back in Bristol.


The location of Cabot's first landfall is not definitely known, due of lack of surviving evidence. Many experts think it was on Cape Bonavista, Newfoundland, but others look for it in Cape Breton Island Cape Breton Island

Cape Breton Island is an island [i] on the Atlantic [i] coast of North America [i]. ... 

, Nova Scotia Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia is a Canadian province [i] located on Canada [i]'s southeastern coast. ... 

, Labrador Labrador

Labrador is a region of Atlantic Canada [i]. ... 

, or Maine Maine

Maine is a U.S. state [i] in the New England [i] region of the northeastern United States [i]. ... 

. Cape Bonavista, however, is the location recognised by the governments of Canada Canada

Canada is the world's second-largest [i] country by total area, occupying most ... 

 and the United Kingdom United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a country and sovereign state [i] tha ... 

 as being Cabot's official landing. His men may have been the first Europeans to set foot on the American mailand since the Vikings. Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus

Christopher Columbus Italian [i] Cristoforo Colombo; Spanish [i]: ... 

 did not find the mainland until his third voyage, in 1498, and letters referring to a voyage by Amerigo Vespucci Amerigo Vespucci

Amerigo Vespucci was an Italian [i] merchant, explorer and cartographer [i]. ... 

 in 1497 are generally believed to have been forgeries or fabrications.

Back in England, Cabot was made an admiral, rewarded with £10 and a patent was written for a new voyage. Later, a pension of £20 a year was granted him. The next year, 1498, he departed again, with 5 ships this time. The expedition made for an Irish port, because of distress. Except for one ship, Cabot and his expedition were never heard from again and are presumed to have been lost at sea.

John's son, Sebastian Cabot, later made a voyage to North America, looking for the hoped for Northwest Passage Northwest Passage

The Northwest Passage is a sea route connecting the Atlantic [i] and Pacific Ocean [i]s t ... 

 , and another to repeat Magellan Ferdinand Magellan

Ferdinand Magellan was a Portuguese [i] maritime explorer [i] ... 

's voyage around the world, but which instead ended up looking for silver Silver

Silver is a chemical element [i] with the symbol Ag . ... 

 along the Río de la Plata Río de la Plata

The Ro de la Plata — which is often referred to in English-speaking countries [i] ... 

 .

In 1498-1500 a few Portuguese Portugal

Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic is located in southwestern Europe [i] on the Iberian Peninsula [i] ... 

 travelers, Miguel and Gaspar Corte-Real Gaspar Corte-Real

Gaspar Corte-Real was a Portuguese [i] explorer [i].
... 

 being the most famous participants, visited Greenland Greenland

Greenland is a self-governed [i] Danish [i] territory. ... 

, Labrador Labrador

Labrador is a region of Atlantic Canada [i]. ... 

 and Newfoundland. In 1501-1505 an English syndicate, consisting of 3 Azoreans Azores

The Azores are an archipelago [i] of Portuguese [i] island [i]s in the middle of the northern ... 

 and 2 English traders, made voyages to Newfoundland. From 1504, if not before, Breton, Basque Basque people

The Basques are an indigenous people [i] who inhabit parts of both Spain [i] and France [i]. ... 

, Portuguese and English fishermen crossed the ocean to catch fish on the Newfoundland banks Grand Banks

[i] on the [[North America]... 

.

Along with Cabot Tower in St. John's, Newfoundland, Cabot is remembered in Bristol, England by the Cabot Tower, a 30-metre tall red sandstone tower of 1897 on Brandon Hill near the city center, by a replica of the Matthew built in the city and by a statue of the explorer on the harbourside.

Gallery


See also

  • Cabot Tower
  • Matthew
  • Leif Ericson Leif Ericson

    Leif Ericson was an Iceland [i]ic explorer and the first European definitively known to have landed in North America [i] ... 



External links and references



  • This article incorporates material from http://www.win.tue.nl/~engels/discovery/cabot.html . Copied with permission.
  • Gibbons, Henry K. 1997. The Myth and Mystery of John Cabot: The Discoverer of North America. Marten Cat Publishers, Port Aux Basques, Newfoundland.
  • Derek Croxton, , 1990-1991
  • 1497-1498
  • with information about Cabot and the voyage.
  • Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia


Further reading

*Gibbons, Henry K. 1997. The Myth and Mystery of John Cabot: The Discoverer of North America. Marten Cat Publishers, Port Aux Basques, Newfoundland.