Giovanni Caboto (believed to be born in 1450) was an Italian explorer and navigator best known for being one of the first European explorers to reach the continental part of North America in the year of 1497.
He sustained along with many other explorers that there was a direct route to Asia traveling west.
Many merchants supported Giovanni Caboto financially. Once Colombus reached America, word spread around England that there was indeed a direct route to Asia. Caboto wanted to find a shorter route to Eastern Asia, so in 1497 he traveled west and reached on June 24 what is known today as Cape Breton, and continued along the coasts of Labrador, Terra Nova and New England.
Thanks to this first expedition, the interests of England in North America were consolidated.
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