John Cabot Voyage to North America

On June 24, 1497, Italian explorer John Cabot (Giovanni Caboto) made landfall in North America, likely at Newfoundland, after departing from Bristol, England with a crew of 18 aboard his ship, the Matthew. Sailing under the commission of King Henry VII of England, Cabot claimed the land for England, making it the first documented European exploration of the North American mainland since the Norse voyages around 1000 CE. This voyage established England's claims to North America and later led to British colonization efforts.