Cabot

I have never really paid much attention to the story of John Cabot, since his "discovery" of Newfoundland was not followed up with attempt at trade or settlement until much later. I generally don't include him in my list of significant events:
1) Christopher Columbus "discovered" South America and promoted settlement and trade on behalf of Spain
2) Jacques Cartier "discovered" Canada and Samuel de Champlain led settlement in "New France" on behalf of France
3) Sir Walter Raleigh "discovered" America and promoted settlement in Jamestown on behalf of the English (oh, and Henry Hudson "discovered" Hudson's Bay and claimed it)

So this article that just appeared in the Vancouver Sun is interesting, because it claims that John Cabot may have seen Newfoundland before Christopher Columbus spotted South America. Again however, I am not sure how significant this is. What matters more is what those men and the countries they represented DID with their discoveries. The reality was that in the time of John Cabot, King Henry 7th was not so interested in colonization, and so the discovery was not significant for England until later.