John Cabot

John Cabot (Italian: Giovanni Caboto, (1449 – 1499) was an Italian navigator and explorer. In 1497, sailing westward from England in his ship Matthew, he landed in what he thought was Asia. In fact he came to North America, in what is now eastern Canada, which he claimed for King Henry VII. 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.

Portrait of Cabot

Newfoundland Postage stamp, 1897 issue

Early years

Giovanni Caboto (his Italian name) was probably born in Genoa about 1469. 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. Venice was a much larger seaport than Genoa and at the time was the most important in all of Europe. 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. They had three sons, who Cabot taught to sail, and they also became great sailors. By this time he was a merchant and traveled widely. He and his family then moved to the port of Bristol, England about 1495.

Voyage to North America

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