Fourth Grade JOHN CABOT HISTORICAL BACKGROUND John Cabot

Fourth Grade

JOHN CABOT HISTORICAL BACKGROUND • John Cabot was an Italian born English explorer. • He was born around 1455, in Gaeta, Italy • In Italy he was known as Giovanni Caboto.

GIOVANNI • By 1461, Cabot was living in Venice, where he became a citizen. • He moved to England in 1495. At the request of King Henry IIV of England.

EARLY YEARS • John Cabot continued in the family trade as a merchant. • He traded spices with the ports of the eastern Mediterranean.

FAMILY LIFE • He married a venetian woman, named Mattea. • They had three sons, Ludobico, Sebastiano, and Sancio.

“JUST LIKE CHRIS” • In about 1490, Cabot moved to Valencia, Spain. • Like Christopher Columbus, Cabot wanted to explore the Atlantic Ocean.

FIRST VOYAGE HOUSING AND TRAVEL • Cabot sailed to Canada in 1497 • His ship was called Matthew • He landed near Labrador Newfoundland (or Cape Brenton Island). The exact location is unknown.

The Matthew HOUSING AND TRAVEL • The Matthew was a small, but fast ship manned by a crew of 18, led by John Cabot. • It sailed from Bristol in May 1487. • It is known to have a triangular lateen sail.

MAP OF GEOGRAPHIC AREA • Looking for a shorter route to Asia, John Cabot set sail in 1497. • He accidentally found Nova Scotia and Newfoundland.

VOYAGE #2 • In 1498, John Cabot and his crew set out once again. • One damaged ship returned to England. John and the other ships were never seen again.