Dreams of Discovery

<p><em>A determined man with a dream whose mentors and friendships supported him through his difficult life’s journey.</em></p><p>John Cabot was born Giovanni Caboto in Genoa Italy. As a child he dreamed of captaining a ship across a mysterious uncharted ocean from Europe to the riches of China. There was another boy in Genoa at the same time with the same dream: Christopher Columbus.</p><p>The Turks in the fifteenth century had a stranglehold on the trade routes to the Far East. Europe’s race to find an alternative passage was heating up. But an explorer needed patrons funds ships—and a vision. Whereas Columbus had taken a south and west route from Spain Cabot was convinced a more northern route from England would lead directly to China.</p><p>Cabot remained convinced even on his deathbed that he’d reached China—not realizing he’d claimed much of North America for his patron the King of England and made an amazing contribution to the fabric of America.</p>