John Cabot Minute

John Cabot, known in Italy as Giovanni Caboto, was born around 1450 and became one of the important navigators of the Age of Discovery. A Venetian mariner by experience and training, he later entered English service in search of a westward route to Asia.

In 1497, sailing under the authority of King Henry VII, Cabot crossed the North Atlantic and reached the shores of Newfoundland or nearby lands. His voyage became one of the earliest recorded European arrivals in North America since the Norse expeditions.

Cabot’s journey linked Italian maritime knowledge with English exploration and helped open the way for later voyages across the Atlantic. His name remains part of the shared history of Italy, England, Canada, and the United States.