Topic(s):   Explorers
Quick Facts
Full name | Giovanni Caboto (in Italian); John Cabot (in English)
Born | around 1450 (Genoa, Italy ?)
Died | around 1499 (England ?)
Nationality | Italian
Occupation(s) | navigator, explorer

Cabot claiming the new land for England

Major Achievement(s) | first European to land on the North American mainland since the Vikings
John Cabot became famous by making a big mistake. Like Christopher Columbus, he wanted to sail west to get to Asia. He found North America, instead!Cabot grew up in Venice. He married a woman named Mattea. They had three sons. Cabot was a merchant. He bought things in Asia, and sold them at home.Cabot wanted to find a shorter way to get to Asia. The kings of Spain and Portugal were not interested in his plan. Cabot went to England. He thought Bristol, England was the closest spot to Asia. That would make his trip shorter. The King of England liked his plan. He gave Cabot permission to explore for England.Cabot first sailed in 1496. The weather was bad. He had to come back. Cabot tried again in 1497. He had a small ship, the Matthew, and 18 men. Fifty days later, they landed in Canada. No one knows where. It may have been Newfoundland or Nova Scotia. Cabot thought he had found Asia! He claimed the land for England.When he came back, Cabot was a star. The King gave him more ships. They sailed to Greenland. It got very cold as they went north, so Cabot turned south. He was looking for Japan. They went as far south as what are now the New England states.No one is certain what happened to John Cabot. He may have died at sea or after he came back. He did not find Asia, but he is still famous!

Topic(s):   Explorers
Quick Facts
Full name | Henry Hudson
Born | around 1565 (England)
Died | around 1611 (Hudson Bay, Canada)
Nationality | English
Occupation(s) | navigator, sea captain, explorer

The routes of Hudson's voyages


Major Achievement(s) | explored the Hudson River and the Hudson Bay areas
Henry Hudson sailed northwest from England in 1607 looking for a route over the North Pole to China. Hudson got as far as Greenland. He was stopped by ice. Hudson sailed east to try to cross the Pole that way. He was stopped by ice again and had to go home.In 1608, he tried to sail northeast around Russia to get to China. He sailed past Norway. There was too much ice. He had to stop.Hudson went to Holland. In 1609, he was hired to try to sail around Russia again. Bad weather blocked his way. Hudson was supposed to go back to Holland. Instead, he talked his crew into sailing west to the New World.Hudson explored the coast of North America. He found a large river. He sailed about 150 miles up the river. It did not lead to the Pacific Ocean. The river is now known as the Hudson River. Hudson claimed land for Holland and went back to England.Hudson took one more trip. He was still looking for a way across North America. He sailed around Greenland. He went into a huge bay. The ship got stuck in ice and had to spend the winter.It was a hard winter. The crew argued. They did not like Hudson. In spring, Hudson wanted to keep going. The crew said no. They put Hudson, his son, and seven men in a boat. No one ever saw them again. Today, that bay is called Hudson Bay.

Trading with Native Americans

Topic(s):   Explorers
Quick Facts
Full name | Jacques Cartier
Born | 1491 (St. Malo, France)
Died | September 1, 1557 (St. Malo, France)
Nationality | French
Occupation(s) | explorer

Cartier and Native Americans


Major Achievement | explored the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the St. Lawrence River.Cartier and Native Americans
King Frances of France sent Jacques Cartier on a trip. Cartier sailed to the New World in 1534. The king wanted Cartier to find gold, spices and a new way to Asia.Cartier sailed around Newfoundland into the Gulf of St. Lawrence. He claimed the land for France. The natives were friendly. Cartier named the land, Canada. (The native word for village was kanata. Cartier was confused.) After finding the mouth of the St. Lawrence River, Cartier went home. He took two sons of a chief with him.The next year, in 1535, Cartier went back. He returned the two boys. Cartier sailed up the St. Lawrence River. At a place he called Mont Real (Montreal), he turned back. Cartier spent the winter at Quebec. It was a very hard winter. In the spring, he kidnapped some local chiefs and went back to France.In 1541, King Francis put a man named Roberval in charge. Roberval and Cartier were to go back to Canada. They were to start a new village in what is now Quebec. This time the natives were not friendly.After another horrible winter, Cartier gave up and started back to France. Cartier left Quebec before Roberval got there. He met up with Roberval in Newfoundland. Roberval ordered Cartier to return to Canada. Cartier snuck off at night.While in Canada, Cartier found what he thought were diamonds and gold. He took them back to France. They were only rocks. They were not valuable.

Cartier's First Voyage