John Cabot
The discovery of Newfoundland
Around 1450, Giovanni Caboto (his real name) was born in the town of Genoa, Italy. Much of his childhood life is unknown. Much of his adult life was spent as a Merchant and a Seaman. In the year 1495 he traveled to Bristol, England with the hope of sailing the Atlantic to find a northwest passage to Asia. He believed that Columbus was wrong about the route he had found to Asia.
John was supported by merchants who wanted new fishing grounds. He was sent a letter from King Henry VII, commissioning him to find and claim new lands for England. He left on May 2, 1497 in his ship called the "Matthew". He sailed for just over a month and reached land on June 24, which we now know was most likely the east coast of Newfoundland. This was the first time Europeans had been in North America since the Viking's discovery 500 years earlier. He claimed the land for England, then made the voyage home. John thought this new land to be the northeastern coast of Asia. One thing that surprised him about this new land was the enormous amounts of fish. There were so many fish that he could drop a bucket over the side of the boat and fill it with fish. He did not find signs of human life as he had thought he would.
John Cabot made a second
voyage the next year in May, 1498. He sailed with five ships, and 300 men. In
this voyage he traveled to the coasts of Greenland, Baffin Island, Labrador, and
Newfoundland. After returning home he made a third voyage, but on this trip he
disappeared at sea and was never seen again. However, his discoveries were not
forgotten. It was because of his accounts of the plentiful supply of fish
many more voyages were made to Newfoundland.
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Ode to Newfoundland
When sunrays crown thy pine clad hills,
And summer spreads her hand,
When silvern voices tune thy rills
We love thee smiling land.
We love thee, we love thee,
We Love thee smiling land.
When blinding storm gusts fret thy shores,
And wild waves lash thy strand,
Thro' sprindrift swirl and tempest roar,
We love thee wind-swept land.
We love thee, we love thee,
We love thee wind-swept land.
At winter's stern command,
Thro' shortened day and starlit night,
We love thee frozen land.
We love thee, we love thee,
We love thee frozen land.
As loved our fathers, so we love,
Where once they stood we stand,
Their prayer we raise to Heav'n above,
God guard thee Newfoundland.
God guard thee, God guard thee,
God
guard thee Newfoundland
