John Cabot, England's First Explorer in the New World

Who was John Cabot?

The Tudor King Henry VII wanted to take advantage global exploration. He gave John Cabot the task of finding new land in the Americas.

What did John Cabot do?

Cabot sailed west from Bristol, across the Atlantic Ocean. He landed on the coast of North America, in what is now Canada.

What was different about John Cabot's discovery?

Cabot did not find gold or other treasure on the North Atlantic coast. He did, however, discover areas that were rich for fishing.

What was the significance of John Cabot?

There were five important reasons why John Cabot was significant.

• ❖ Although Cabot did not find any riches, his journey can be seen as turning point, as it signified the beginning of British exploration of the New World. This, in turn, led eventually to the growth of the British Empire.
• ❖ After Cabot's voyages, others wanted to expand on his discoveries. Future explorers sailed west, and established places such as Newfoundland.
• ❖ Some explored further south, and settled in places across the east coast of North America.
• ❖ He inspired explorers such as John Hawkins and Walter Raleigh to discover more land, to claim and exploit further territory.
• ❖ It led to some, such as Sir Francis Drake, to steal gold and other riches from the Spanish.