John Cabot

Worksheet Description

Many years ago, during the time of knights and castles, there was an explorer named John Cabot. He was born in Italy, but he made England his home. John was curious about the world and wanted to find new routes to Asia to trade for spices and silks. But guess what? Instead of finding a route to Asia, he stumbled upon something even more exciting!

In 1497, with the support of King Henry VII of England, John Cabot set out on a big voyage across the Atlantic Ocean. He had a ship named the “Matthew” and a brave crew with him. They sailed west, hoping to reach Asia, but after several weeks, they found land. It wasn’t Asia, though! It was a new land, now known as parts of Canada.

Even though he didn’t find the spices and silks he was looking for, John Cabot’s discovery was very important. He was one of the first Europeans to reach North America since the Vikings. This was a big deal because, at that time, most people in Europe didn’t know much about North America. John’s voyage showed them there was a whole new world to explore across the ocean.