John Cabot, page 2

Pope, Peter E.

The Many Landfalls of John Cabot. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1997.

Where John Cabot landed during his famous 1497 voyage from Bristol to the "new founde land" is not known. Archaeologist Peter E. Pope of Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, explores in detail the various possibilities of what happened on that remarkable day, 24 June 1497, one of the most significant dates in Newfoundland and Labrador's, and Canada's histories. More than five hundred years later, we do not know the exact location, though Bonavista is one likely prospect for the claim. Pope traces various landfall theories which have placed the landing in locations from the Strait of Belle Isle to Cape Breton. The evidence is sketchy and contradictory and, Pope argues, has allowed nationalists in both Newfoundland and Canada to shape the debate about Cabot's itinerary. This also allows for various interest groups to claim Cabot as their own. Pope is sympathetic to native interests, and argues that the invented term "discovery" has allowed Europeans and their descendants to overlook the fact that native peoples lost land and original identities. This engaging book is well-illustrated with period maps, engravings and stamps. It is a valuable book, not only for saying a good deal about Cabot and his time but serves as a means of exploring how centennials shape the study of history. It also shows how the public, for tourist purposes, sometimes misuses history.

Weare, G.E.

Cabot's Discovery of North America. London: John Macqueen and Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott Company, 1897.

Given its age, this isn't a recommended teaching reference, except as a complementary source. The book include eleven reproductions of period illustrations. Of interest are a depiction of John Cabot describing his discoveries to King Henry VII; the North-American segment of Cabot's map of the world published in 1544; and a picture of a vessel of the same type as the Matthew, which Cabot sailed on to America. The book includes a very good index of place and person names but no bibliography.

Continue on to Jacques Cartier