John Cabot (c. 1450, disappeared May 1498), born Giovanni Caboto, was a Venetian explorer and navigator known for his 1497 voyage to North America, where he claimed land in Canada for England.Aug 31, 2017
[Giovanni Caboto (John Cabot) was a native of Genoa and a citizen of Venice, who obtained letters-patent from Henry VII of England in 1496 for a voyage of discovery. In the summer of 1497, he crossed the Atlantic and discovered the mainland of North America—probably the Labrador coast.
Cabot set out from Bristol with 300 men in May 1498. The five ships carried supplies for a year's travelling. There is no further record of Cabot and his crews, though there is now some evidence he may have returned and died in England.
Reasons for Sailing. John Cabot was an English explorer who was sent to explore the "New World" by King Henry VII. England was anxious to explore the lands explored by Christopher Columbus. England was also interested in finding lands that the English could claim as colonies.
On June 24, 1497, Cabot spotted land and felt sure he had discovered a very quick route to India. Cabot and his crew went ashore and planted the banner of King Henry VII and claimed the land for England.
John Cabot, Italian Giovanni Caboto, (born c. 1450, Genoa? [Italy]—died c. 1499), navigator and explorer who by his voyages in 1497 and 1498 helped lay the groundwork for the later British claim to Canada.Dec 27, 2017
Cabot was born in Italy but moved to England in 1495. At the request of King Henry VII of England, Cabot sailed to Canada in 1497, commanding the small ship called "Matthew." Cabot landed near Labrador, Newfoundland, or Cape Breton Island (the exact spot is uncertain) on June 24, 1497.