The New Student's Reference Work/Cabot, John

Cabot (kăb′ŭt), John or Giovanni, probably the discoverer of North America. Very little is known of the life of this seaman. The place and time of his birth and death are not known. Either a Venetian or an Englishman naturalized in 1476, he was living in England in 1495. It probably was the voyage of Columbus in search of the East Indies which started Cabot westward on the same quest. He with his three sons obtained a patent in 1496 from Henry VII, giving them power to search for lands in the eastern, western or northern seas and, as vassals of England, to occupy any lands discovered, with a right to their commerce on paying the king a fifth of all profits. Accompanied by his three sons he set sail in 1497, and on June 24th sighted Cape Breton Island and Nova Scotia. He planted on the coast the banners of England and Venice and returned. The next year another patent was granted, but nothing further is known of his life.