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John Verrazano
"The French attempted no
discoveries on the American coast until 524. But this year, John Verrazano,
a Florentine navigator of celebrity, sailed with a squadron of four ships,
fitted out by Francis I. Of these ships, three were soon compelled to
return, and Verrazano proceeded with a single vessel.
He reached the American coast
about the latitude of Wilmington, Delaware, when, after a southern
exploration, he proceeded northerly, along the coast, landing at several
points in New Jersey and New York, as interest or curiosity prompted. Near
New York the voyagers kidnapped and bore away an Indian child. In Newport
harbor, Rhode Island, Verrazano anchored for fifteen days, when he proceeded
north, exploring the coast as far as Newfoundland. To the whole region thus
discovered by him he gave the name of New France, which, however, was
afterwards applied only to Canada, and which name it held while in
possession of the French.
In 1525, this enterprising
navigator, during a second voyage to America, by means of some unknown
disaster, was lost, with all his crew.
The Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, connecting Staten Island to Brooklyn New York
and opened in 1964, is named in his honor.
Return to
American History Period I
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