John Cabot was an Italian explorer who obtained support from England to set sail in search of a northern sea route to Asia. He felt it would be shorter than the southern route that Columbus tried. In 1497, Cabot landed in the New World, possibly in Newfoundland. In 1498, he again set off in search of a sea route. He disappeared and is presumed to have died the same year.
Spice Trade
John Cabot's father was a spice merchant who trained Cabot in the family trade. Spices were an important commodity in an era without refrigeration, and many countries wanted to find shorter, cheaper trade routes to obtain them. This encouraged voyages of exploration.
The Historical Record
Historical records can often be incomplete or inaccurate. It's important to regard information such as dates, landing spots, etc., as unproven. For example, most sources on John Cabot state that he was likely born in 1450 in Genoa, but it cannot be proven beyond a shadow of a doubt. There is also controversy over where exactly Cabot landed. It was most likely in Newfoundland, possibly in Cape Bonavista, but it could also have been in Labrador, or Cape Breton in Nova Scotia.
John Cabot Figure Background and Profiles
John Cabot in Popular Culture
Amazon.com: The Lost Voyage of John Cabot by Henry Garfield
WorldCat: And Tomorrow the Stars: The Story of John Cabot by Kay Hill and Laszlo Kubinyi
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