On May 2, 1497, John and Sebastian Cabot set sail from Bristol, England, financed by Italian banks and authorized by Henry VII to find and investigate new lands. Cabot father and son reached a new found land on June 24th. Thinking it to be the “isle of Brasil”, they continued around its coast for a few weeks, figuring Asia was just to the south. Perhaps discouraged at not locating Chinese or Japanese speakers, neither gold, spices, nor silks, the Cabots returned to Bristol.
That left Newfoundland and its precious cod fisheries off the Grand Banks another few centuries before being valued as one of the greatest riches on the planet. Notwithstanding that just behind this enormous island of Newfoundland lay a totally unexpected and resource-rich continent.
B Bondar / Real World Content Advantage