John cabot mini biography of christopher

(1450-1500)

Who Was John Cabot?

John Cabot was a Venetian explorer and navigator known for his 1497 voyage to North America, where he claimed land in Canada for England.

John cabot mini biography of christopher

After setting sail in May 1498 for a return voyage to North America, he disappeared and Cabot's final days remain a mystery.

Early Life

Cabot was born Giovanni Caboto around 1450 in Genoa, Italy. Cabot was the son of a spice merchant, Giulio Caboto.

At age 11, the family moved from Genoa to Venice, where Cabot learned sailing and navigation from Italian seamen and merchants.

Cabot officially became a Venetian citizen in 1476 and began conducting trade in the eastern Mediterranean.

Records indicate that he got into financial trouble and left Venice as a debtor in November 1488. During this time, Cabot became inspired by the discoveries of Bartolomeu Dias and Christopher Columbus.

Discoveries

In 1497, Cabot traveled by sea from Bristol to Canada, which he mistook for Asia.

Cabot made a claim to