(1450-1499) Venetian navigator and explorer. Known as Zuan Chabotto in Venice and John Cabot in England, where he was commissioned by King Henry VII to sail to North America in 1497. Cabot reached [[Dan's History Web/US 1/Topic Index/Newfoundland]] and the [[Dan's History Web/US 1/Topic Index/Cod]] fisheries of the [[Grand Banks]]. He is said to have observed that the cod were so numerous that a man could almost walk across the water on their backs. He is also rumored to have seen large numbers of Basque and Portuguese fishing boats on the Banks when he arrived there. After Cabot's death, his son, [Sebastian Cabot](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sebastian_Cabot_(explorer)), continued exploring in the Americas on England's behalf. He searched for a [[Dan's History Web/US 1/Topic Index/Northwest Passage]] in 1508-9 and may have sailed south along the North American coast to Chesapeake Bay. He also explored and established two forts along the Rio de la Plata in South America.  *A statue of John Cabot gazing across Bonavista Bay in eastern Newfoundland, erected to celebrate the 500th anniversary of his visit.*