Introduction
In 1492, Christopher Columbus reached the Caribbean islands, and was hailed as the first European to see the Americas. But this was not North America, the region where the great English-speaking nations of Canada and the United States would later rise. That was discovered — or rediscovered, since the Vikings had been there long before — five years later in 1497.
When King Henry [VII] heard that Columbus had found land he was greatly interested. Later, when the men of Bristol wished to send John Cabot out on a voyage of discovery, he granted a charter, which gave to Cabot and his three sons the right, in the name of England, “to seek out, discover, and find whatsoever islands, countries, regions, or provinces of the heathens in whatsoever part of the world they be, which before this time have been unknown to all Christians.”
So it happened that one bright day in the year 1497 a little vessel called the Matthew, with eighteen sailors aboard, sailed quietly out of Bristol harbor. The man who was in command was the man who years before had watched the caravans of spices come into Mecca. Now, at last, he was setting out to search for a western route to the land of riches.
Little is known of John Cabot’s voyage across the Western Sea; but from the few writings that have come down to us we know that he did not sail in the warm winds that carried Columbus to the island of San Salvador. He sailed north over what he called “that still vexed sea.” Then turning westward he sailed on, always keeping the Pole star on his right hand, and at last, after days and weeks had passed by, he came upon land.*
* Almost exactly five centuries before, a Viking named Leif Ericsson had stumbled across the same stretch of North America’s coastline and established a short-lived trading post there. He had originally been sent to bring Christianity to Greenland, so strictly speaking Henry should have disqualified Cabot’s claim in favour of the Kingdom of Norway. See Vinland.
Précis
In 1497, Venetian navigator John Cabot received royal approval for his own voyage in search of the lands found by Christopher Columbus five years earlier. He set out from Bristol in May, aboard the Matthew, and by keeping the Pole Star off the starboard bow kept sailing due west until he sighted land. (53 / 60 words)
In 1497, Venetian navigator John Cabot received royal approval for his own voyage in search of the lands found by Christopher Columbus five years earlier. He set out from Bristol in May, aboard the Matthew, and by keeping the Pole Star off the starboard bow kept sailing due west until he sighted land.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 60 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 50 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: although, because, despite, if, just, or, ought, whether.
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