John Cabot was a navigator and sailor who traveled to Canada, around Italy and around the eastern Mediterranean. John Cabot's most famous adventure was to Canada in 1497, sailing for the King of England, Henry VII.
On the voyage to Canada, Cabot thought that he had reached Asia. This was the reason for the voyage as Cabot and others believed that if they sailed west from Britain they would reach Asia more quickly than sailing west. He claimed the land for Britain and sailed back home. After a single year back in England, Cabot was granted another trip to North America by the English king. No one knows what happened to Cabot on this trip. One of his ships ended up in Ireland, but the other four were either lost at sea or made it to North America once again, but never returned.
Cabot was able to make these journeys due to his training on the job while working for a merchant in Venice. The merchants and seamen helped teach him about the importance of navigation and how to run a boat. He conducted trade throughout the eastern Mediterranean area as well as in surrounding Italian waters. He had three sons and one would later become an explorer like his father.