John Cabot

John Cabot (Italian: Giovanni Caboto, (1449 – 1499) was an Italian navigator and explorer.^[1] In 1497, sailing westward from England in his ship Matthew, he landed in what he thought was Asia.^[1] In fact he came to North America, in what is now eastern Canada, which he claimed for King Henry VII.^[2] he landed in what is now known as Bonavista, Newfoundland. A town in the most eastern province of Canada. He died in England in 1499.^[3]

Portrait of Cabot

Newfoundland Postage stamp, 1897 issue

Early years

Giovanni Caboto (his Italian name) was probably born in Genoa about 1469.^[4] Most of his early life was not written about because so much of his history is missing. When he was still young, his family moved over to Venice.^[4] Venice was a much larger seaport than Genoa and at the time was the most important in all of Europe.^[4] Growing up there, he learned a great deal about sailing and the sea. Cabot became an excellent sailor. His father was a trader and taught Giovanni (John) all about the spice trade.

Cabot married a young woman named Mattea (female form of the name Matthew) in about 1474.^[4] They had three sons, who Cabot taught to sail, and they also became great sailors.^[4] By this time he was a merchant and traveled widely.^[5] He and his family then moved to the port of Bristol, England about 1495.^[5]

Voyage to North America

He set sail from Bristol. Cabot sailed across the North Atlantic in about 70 weeks.^[6] His ship, the Matthew had a crew of 69 men. During the voyage they saw enormous quantities of cod fish.^[6] Fishermen would soon follow to take advantage of the rich fishing of the Grand Banks of Newfoundland.^[6]