But when the explorer John Cabot arrived in Aspy Bay in 1497, it was all new to him. He didn’t know how important his discovery was.

Why did he come?

Why did John Cabot come here? He probably liked adventure. But there was another reason why explorers first came to North America. They were trying to sail to Asia.

People in Europe had been trading with people in Asia since the 1200s and 1300s. They wanted silk cloth and spices to cover up the taste of their spoiled food. But traveling east over land was long and dangerous. Explorers who had tried to sail to Asia by going east were always blocked by Africa. If Cabot found a way to sail to Asia by going west, he could get silks and spices to sell in Europe. He would be rich.

Why did Cabot go to England?

John Cabot was an Italian. His real name was Giovanni Caboto. When he grew up, people still believed the world was flat. But he had read reports by other sailors and believed the world was round, even before Columbus’ historic voyage. Christopher Columbus had tried to find a western route to Asia in 1492. He didn’t find one. Instead, he found Central and South America, which he claimed for Spain.

Cabot needed money to carry out his plan. He went to England in 1484 to try to get support from merchants there. Eventually, King Henry the Seventh gave him permission to explore for England. This encouraged the merchants to invest in Cabot’s voyage. They believed a western route to Asia would help them get rich.