What is John Cabot?
[[File:John Cabot.jpg|thumb|right|200px|{{Center|Portrait of Cabot}}]] [[File:Newfoundland Cabots ship 1897 issue-10d.jpg|thumb|right|180px|{{Center|Newfoundland Postage stamp, 1897 issue}}]] '''John Cabot''' ({{lang-it|'''Giovanni Caboto'''}}, (1449 – 1499) was an [[Italians|Italian]] [[navigator]] and [[exploration|explorer]].<ref name=Bio>{{cite web|url=http://www.biography.com/people/john-cabot-9234057|title=John Cabot Biography Explorer (c. 1450–c. 1499) |publisher=Bio/A&E Television Networks, LLC |access-date=16 December 2015}}</ref> In 1497, sailing [[west]]ward from [[England]] in his [[ship]] ''Matthew'', he landed in what he thought was [[Asia]].<ref name=Bio/> In fact he came to [[North America]], in what is now eastern [[Canada]], which he claimed for [[Henry VII of England|King Henry VII]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.history.com/topics/exploration/john-cabot |title=John Cabot |publisher=History/A&E Television Networks, LLC |access-date=16 December 2015}}</ref> he landed in what is now known as Bonavista, Newfoundland. A town in the most eastern province of Canada. He died in England in 1499.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.enchantedlearning.com/explorers/page/c/cabot.shtml |title=John Cabot: Explorer |publisher=EnchantedLearning.com |access-date=16 December 2015}}</ref> == Early years == Giovanni Caboto (his Italian name) was probably born in [[Genoa]] about 1469.<ref name=Doak4..12>Robin S. Doak, ''Cabot: John Cabot and the Journey to North America'' (Minneapolis, MN: Compass Point Books, 2003), pp. 4–12</ref> Most of his early life was not [[Writing|written]] about because so much of his [[history]] is missing. When he was still young, his family moved over to [[Venice]].<ref name=Doak4..12/> Venice was a much larger [[port|seaport]] than Genoa and at the time was the most important in all of [[Europe]].<ref name=Doak4..12/> Growing up there, he learned a great deal about [[sailing]] and the [[sea]]. Cabot became an excellent [[sailor]]. His father was a [[trade]]r and taught Giovanni (John)