Monday, January 18, 2010

#15- John Cabot


15 John Cabot


Giovanni Caboto, or John Cabot (c.1450-1499) was an Italian merchant and navigator. In 1483, Cabot moved to Bristol. After Colombus found America, Cabot convinced Henry VII of England to send out explorers to claim land in the New World and to find a passage to Asia by going North of America. In 1497, Cabot sailed from Bristol and landed in the New World somewhere from Maine to Newfoundland. He claimed the land he found for England. This trip was the first known trip to find the Northwest passage, for Cabot thought that he had reached Asia. When Cabot got back, he claimed that he reached Asia and was promoted to the rank of admiral and was sent back to what they thought was Asia to find Japan. When Cabot got to America again, he realized that he was still in America. Cabot will forever be known for being the first to search for the Northwest passage, turning England into an exploration power, and for having another famous explorer, Sebastian Cabot, as a son.

Information from...
http://www.library.thinkquest.org/