The Italian explorer who sailed for England and discovered parts of North America was John Cabot, an explorer of Venetian descent. Cabot is credited with sailing to the New World in 1497 under a commission from King Henry VII of England. His expedition sought a westward route to Asia, but instead, he landed on the North American continent, likely in what is now Newfoundland. Cabot’s voyages marked England’s entry into the Age of Exploration and laid the foundation for future English claims in North America, setting the stage for the eventual establishment of colonies.