Cabot, Sebastian ( ? -1557) was an influential Italian mapmaker and navigator. He explored the coast of Labrador, in what is now northeastern Canada.
Cabot was born in Venice, Italy. The year of his birth is unknown, but it was probably sometime before 1486. His father was the famous Italian explorer John Cabot (see Cabot, John ). His family moved to Bristol, England, about 1495. Cabot claimed he was on his father’s first expedition to North America, in 1497, but no other evidence supports his claim.
In 1508, Cabot led an English expedition up the coast of Labrador in search of a Northwest Passage—that is, a route around or through North America to Asia. The expedition encountered a great deal of ice, suggesting there was no easy passage through the Arctic Ocean. Later, Cabot’s mapmaking skills earned him a position as pilot major for Spain. As pilot major, he was in charge of recording Spain’s effort to explore the world. In 1526, he led another expedition bound for Asia. On this voyage, he explored the Río de la Plata in present-day Argentina.
In 1544, Cabot prepared one of the first printed maps of the world. In 1553, he became governor of the Muscovy Company, an association of London merchants. During his final years, he is said to have taught English sea captains how to navigate using the stars and the sun.
