HIST 2500 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: John Cabot, Grand Banks Of Newfoundland
Document Summary
Cape breton and acadia grew because of exports: transfer of biota, animals, plants . Contact began 1000 ad but no sustained relations until john cabot (english. Crown) discovered new territory (newfoundland) which english immediately claimed. Cabot did land and make observations but it was all through second-hand knowledge: he was the first who landed except those 500 years ago. Cape bona vista was first discovered by cabot. Nothing else mattered at the time (not spices, silk or wood): the spanish, basque, portuguese, and french wanted fish for their catholic fasting. Fish was a significant source of expansion for these empires: newfoundland developed hugely and fish were plentiful leading to commercialization until they were almost extinct. Voyages of john cabot resource that was abundant (especially in the grand banks region), easy to harvest and easy to transport: the harvest was shaped by migratory patterns.
