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John Cabot - Explorer (c1450 - c1500) |
John Cabot was an Italian born explorer who
became the second European (After Columbus)
to find North America while searching for a
westerly route to Asia. He explored the east
coast of Canada and, having been commissioned
by the Tudor King Henry VII, claimed the land
for England. His death remains the subject of
speculation.
This page details facts about John Cabot's life
and the events that shaped his history.
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John Cabot the Explorer - Fun
Facts for Kids ! |
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John Cabot Fact
1: |
John Cabot was born ‘Giovanni Caboto’,
sometime around 1450 in Genoa Italy, to Giulio Caboto a
spice merchant. The name Caboto is translated as ‘coastal
trader’. |
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John Cabot Fact
2: |
In 1461, at the age of eleven, he
moved to Venice with his family. While there he learned
his father’s trade and picked up nautical skills from
the seamen in the port. |
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John Cabot Fact
3: |
John Cabot married a Venetian girl, Mattea,
in 1474 and went on to have three sons, Ludovico, Sancto
and Sebastiano. Sebastiano would later become an explorer
himself. |
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John Cabot Fact
4: |
In 1476, having lived in Venice for fifteen
years, he was granted Venetian citizenship. This allowed
him to trade around the Mediterranean Sea.
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John Cabot Fact
5: |
Venetian records show that he got into
financial difficulties and, in November 1488, left Venice
for Valencia as a debtor.
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John Cabot Fact
6: |
It appears likely
that John Cabot had become inspired by the achievements
of explorers such as Christopher Columbus and Bartholomeu
Dias, when he set off for England. He settled, with
his family, in Bristol in the mid 1490s.
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Picture
of Christopher Columbus
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John Cabot Fact
7: |
Believing that sailing
west from Europe would be a shorter route to Asia, he
successfully sought financial backing for an expedition.
The source of his backing is believed to be from the
Florentine banking firm of the Bardi family and Henry
VII, the Tudor King of England. |
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John
Cabot Fact 8: |
In 1496 Henry VII
gave John Cabot written authority, in the form of a
patent, to sail under the English flag and to discover
and explore previously unknown islands and countries.
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John
Cabot Fact 9: |
On 2nd May 1497 he sailed from Bristol
aboard his fifty ton ship, the Matthew. He planned to sail
west across the Atlantic and find a route to China and the
Indies.
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John
Cabot Fact 10: |
Fifty days later, in
June 1497, John Cabot reached the east
coast of North America. The location of
the landing is unknown, but it is
generally believed to be either Cape
Breton Island or Labrador. He went
ashore and claimed the land for England.
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John
Cabot Fact 11: |
Cabot
began the return leg of his journey on
26th June 1497, arriving back in Bristol
on 6th August
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Picture of King Henry VII
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John Cabot Fact
12: |
He was
rewarded with a gift of £10, a pension of
£20 and the gratitude of King Henry VII. |
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John Cabot Fact
13: |
In
February 1498 John Cabot was granted a patent for a
second expedition, and began making preparations. |
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John
Cabot Fact 14:
John
Cabot and a fleet of five ships left Bristol
in May 1498. One of the ships was forced
to land in Ireland having been caught in
a storm, however the others carried on.
John
Cabot Fact 15:
The fate
of John Cabot and his fleet from this point
on has remained the subject of great speculation.
It was believed for many years that the
fleet was lost at sea, however some historians
are now claiming that he reached and explored
the east coast of Canada. Documents appearing
to place him in London in 1500 have also
been located but not yet published. |
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John Cabot the Explorer
(c1450 - c1500) Fun Facts Info for Kids ! |
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