How Did Cabot Contribute To The First American Exploration

During the late 1400’s and early 1500’s, many explorers were starting to explore and discover North America. European countries sent explorers to America to search for a better life, goods, to claim lands, to find the fountain of youth, and various other reasons. Christopher Columbus, Ponce de León, and John Cabot made a huge impact with their voyages to the new world; their discoveries later helped the establishment of new colonies in North America. Christopher Columbus, an Italian, went on four voyages between the years of 1492 and 1504. He had three ships: the Niña, Pinta, and Santa María. On his first voyage in 1492, he left Spain and thought he could reach East Asia sailing west through the Atlantic Ocean. He did not believe anything existed west of Europe and Asia, and he thought the world was smaller than it actually was. After ten weeks into the voyage, he thought he had landed on an island close to Asia, but it was the Bahamas. He also found Cuba, but first thought it was China. In
León stopped at Dominican Republic to settle. In the early 1500’s, León discovered an island that is now known as Puerto Rico; therefore, he set sail again after being replaced as Governor by the King. He traveled north across the Bahamas and towards Florida looking for new lands, the fountain of youth, and gold. He claimed land on Florida’s east coast near what is now St. Augustine; he named it La Florida. After exploring the east and west coasts of Florida, he sailed back to Puerto Rico. A few years later, he returned with settlers to Florida to start a new colony. He wanted to start a farming colony near Charlotte Harbor. The Calusa Indians ambushed the settlers, and León was shot in the thigh by an arrow. The settlers decided to leave and travel back to Cuba because of the ambush. Ponce de León later died in Cuba because of his