The Voyage of the Matthew: John Cabot and the Discovery of North America - Hardcover

Peter Firstbrook

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0563387645 ISBN 13: 9780563387640

Publisher: BBC Books, 1997

Synopsis

The story of John Cabot's voyage from Bristol to North America in "The Matthew", and of preparations for a 500th-anniversary voyage in a full-sized replica ship in May 1997. The book is part historical detective work and part insight into life in the great age of discovery in the late-15th century.

About this title

Review:

With this year marking the five-hundredth anniversary of the voyage of explorer John Cabot to North America, signaling post-medieval Europe's discovery of the continent [see page 16], the author here uses maps, period artwork, and modern photography to recount not only what is known about the original 1497 voyage, but also the efforts to reconstruct Cabot's vessel the Matthew and to recreate authentically his Atlantic crossing. When Cabot stepped ashore on North American soil, the author states, he laid the foundation stone of English exploration and colonization. It is ironic that it should be an Italian who bears ultimate responsibility for North America becoming part of the English-speaking world, but, as a result of Cabot's endeavours, the Matthew can claim to be the most important ship in the English language. --History.net

About this edition

• Publisher: BBC Books
• Publication date: 1997
• ISBN 10: 0563387645
• ISBN 13: 9780563387640
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 192