Starter quiz
- Which part of a ship helps to catch strong sea winds?
- sail ✓
- hull
- rudder
-
- What were Chinese boats called?
- galleys
- junks ✓
- longboats
-
- What did Chinese junks have that helped them to turn around in water?
- oars
- sails
- rudder ✓
-
- Chinese explorers were the first people to use this at sea
- oars
- star map
- compass ✓
-
- Complete the sentence: Using a compass...
- made journeys harder.
- made journeys quicker. ✓
- made journeys longer.
-
- A compass always points...
- south
- north ✓
- east
- west
-
Exit quiz
- Who wanted John Cabot to go on journeys of exploration?
- the king of England ✓
- the king of Italy
- other explorers
-
- Where did the king of England want Cabot to sail to?
- Asia ✓
- The Americas
- Africa
-
- What problems caused Cabot's first journey to end without reaching land?
- a big storm ✓
- Cabot lost his map
- not enough food ✓
- the crew were too tired
-
- What did John Cabot cross on his journeys?
- River Avon
- Pacific Ocean
- Atlantic Ocean ✓
-
- What was different about John Cabot's second journey?
- His ship was smaller. ✓
- They took more food.
- He had fewer sailors. ✓
- His ship was bigger.
-
- What did John Cabot call the place he landed in?
- Newfoundland ✓
- Canada
- North America
-
Worksheet
Loading worksheet ...
Presentation
Loading presentation ...
Video
Lesson Details
Key learning points
- Shortly after Zheng He's voyages, an Italian navigator and explorer called John Cabot was living in Bristol.
- He was sent by the English king, Henry VII, to find a shorter route to Asia, and to claim new lands for England.
- He tried to sail across the Atlantic but bad weather, food shortages and arguments with his crew meant he failed.
- He tried again the next year with a small ship, 'The Matthew', and a crew of just 18, reaching what is now Canada.
- The next year, the king sent Cabot on another trip to try and reach even further; Cabot and his ships never returned.
Common misconception
Pupils might find it confusing that John Cabot sounds like a very English name yet he was Italian.
John Cabot is the English version of the name he was born as, Giovanni Caboto. He lived in England for so long he was known by John Cabot.
Keywords
Atlantic ocean - the Atlantic Ocean is the ocean between Europe and the Americas
Americas - the Americas are the continents of North and South America
Asia - the continent to the east of Europe is called Asia
+