Giovanni da Verrazzano expeditions

Giovanni da Verrazzano was an Italian explorer who was commissioned by King Francis I of France to explore the Atlantic coast of North America. His expedition took place in 1524, and he sailed from France in a ship called the Dauphine. During his journey, Verrazzano visited several locations along the east coast of the United States and Canada, including Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, New York (including the harbor of New York City), New England, and Newfoundland. He was the first European to enter New York Harbor, and he also explored Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island and possibly Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia, Canada. Verrazzano's expedition helped to establish a French claim to the region and paved the way for future European exploration and settlement. Although Verrazzano's own expeditions were not successful, he provided valuable information about the geography and indigenous peoples of the region to the French Crown, and his voyage was widely reported in Europe, sparking interest in further exploration of the New World.