Cabot, John (c. 1450-1499?), Italian explorer who served England as navigator and explorer. His voyages in 1497 and 1498 laid the groundwork for the British claims to Canada.
Cabot proposed sailing westward to Asia after hearing of Columbus's passage. Cabot intended to sail at a far northern latitude. Receiving financial backing from the wealthy merchants of Bristol and authorization from Henry VII, he set sail with a crew of eighteen men.
In 1497, Cabot's crew landed on the Labrador coast of Newfoundland, which he claimed for England. Cabot thought he had reached northeastern Asia and returned to England for more money and more supplies.
He embarked on his second voyage in 1498, hoping to reach Japan. However, four of the expedition's five ships, including his, were lost at sea.
