Giovanni da Verrazzano facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Giovanni da Verrazzano
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| Born | 1485 Val di Greve, Republic of Florence (now Italy)
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| Died | 1528 (aged 42–43) |
| Nationality | Italian |
| Other names | Janus Verrazanus, Jehan de Verrazane |
| Occupation | Explorer |
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Giovanni da Verrazzano (1485–1528) was an Italian explorer. He worked for King Francis I of France. He is famous for exploring the Atlantic coast of North America.
In 1524, he became the first European to explore the coast between Florida and New Brunswick. This included important places like New York Bay and Narragansett Bay.
Contents
Early Life and Beginnings
Giovanni da Verrazzano was born in 1485. His birthplace was Val di Greve, near Florence, in what is now Italy. Many believe he was born in the Castello di Verrazzano. This is why his name includes "da Verrazzano," like Leonardo da Vinci's name.
Some people think he was born in Lyon, France. But Verrazzano always saw himself as Florentine. Other people at the time also thought of him as Florentine.
He signed documents using a Latin version of his name, "Janus Verrazanus." In his will, he called himself "Jehan de Verrazane."
Not much is known about his personal life. After 1506, he moved to Dieppe, France. There, he started his career as a navigator. He may have sailed to America around 1508. He explored the area of Newfoundland and possibly the St. Lawrence River. He also made many trips to the eastern Mediterranean Sea.
The 1524 Voyage to North America
In 1522, Ferdinand Magellan's crew completed the first trip around the world. This made countries want to find new trade routes. King Francis I of France wanted to find a sea route to the Pacific Ocean. This route was called the Northwest Passage.
French merchants asked the King to send an explorer. So, in 1523, King Francis I asked Verrazzano to plan a trip. His mission was to explore the coast between Florida and Newfoundland.
Verrazzano set sail with four ships. But a big storm damaged two ships. The remaining ships, La Dauphine and La Normande, had to return to France.
After repairs, the ships sailed again. They headed south to calmer waters. After a stop in Madeira, La Normande had to go back. But Verrazzano's ship, La Dauphine, continued its journey.
On January 17, 1524, La Dauphine sailed for North America. It reached the area of Cape Fear around March 21. Then it explored the Pamlico Sound in North Carolina. Verrazzano thought this sound was the start of the Pacific Ocean. He believed it could lead to China.
Verrazzano continued exploring the coast northwards. He and his crew met Native Americans. However, he missed the entrances to Chesapeake Bay and the Delaware River.
In New York Bay, he met the Lenape people. He saw what he thought was a large lake, which was actually the entrance to the Hudson River. He then sailed along Long Island. He entered Narragansett Bay. There, he met leaders from the Wampanoag and Narragansett people.
He stayed in Narragansett Bay for two weeks. Then he moved further north. He discovered Cape Cod Bay. He named the cape Pallavicino. He then followed the coast to modern Maine, southeastern Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland. He returned to France by July 8, 1524.
Verrazzano named the region he explored Francesca. This was to honor the French king. But his brother's map called it Nova Gallia (New France).
Later Life and Mysterious Death
Verrazzano planned a second voyage in 1527. He sailed from Dieppe with four ships. One ship got lost in a storm. But Verrazzano reached the coast of Brazil with two ships. They collected a cargo of brazilwood. He returned to Dieppe in September.
This trip did not find the passage to the Pacific Ocean. But it inspired Verrazzano's final voyage. He left Dieppe in early 1528.
There are different stories about how Verrazzano died. In one story, during his third trip to North America in 1528, he explored Florida, the the Bahamas, and the Lesser Antilles. He anchored his ships offshore. Then he rowed to land, probably on the island of Guadeloupe. He died during an encounter with native Caribs. His ships were too far away to help him.
However, older stories say Verrazzano was the same person as a pirate named Jean Fleury. This pirate was executed by the Spanish in Spain.
Verrazzano's Lasting Impact
The information from Verrazzano's voyage greatly influenced mapmakers in the 1500s. But his fame did not grow as much as other explorers. For example, he named the new land Francesca for the French king. But this name, and others he gave, did not last.
He made his big discoveries around the same time as other major events. These included the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire and Ferdinand Magellan's trip around the world. Magellan's trip got a lot of attention, which overshadowed Verrazzano's news.
In the 1800s and early 1900s, there was a debate in the United States. People wondered if the letters Verrazzano wrote to King Francis I were real. These letters described the land, plants, animals, and native people of North America. Today, most people believe the letters are real.
Verrazzano was not well-known in New York City for a long time. People often thought Henry Hudson was the first European to explore New York in 1609. But in the 1950s and 1960s, a big effort was made. Verrazzano's name and his role as the European discoverer of the harbor were recognized. This happened when the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge was being built and named after him.
Places and Statues Honoring Verrazzano
Many places and monuments honor Giovanni da Verrazzano:
- In 1909, a bronze statue of Verrazzano was placed in Battery Park in Manhattan. This was part of the Hudson–Fulton Celebration.
- There are many tributes to him on Staten Island.
- The Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge connects Staten Island to Brooklyn. It is probably the most famous tribute. Until 2018, it was spelled "Verrazano-Narrows Bridge" with one "z".
- A Staten Island Ferry boat was also named for Verrazzano. It served New York from the 1950s to the 1990s.
- A Little League baseball team on Staten Island is also named after him.
- The Jamestown Verrazzano Bridge in Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island, is named for him. So is Maryland's Verrazano Bridge.
- A ship of the Italian navy, a destroyer called the Navigatori class, was named after Verrazzano. It was launched in 1930 and sunk in 1942.
- There is a statue of him in his hometown of Greve in Chianti, Italy.
- A monument honoring him stands in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.
See also
In Spanish: Giovanni da Verrazzano para niños
