Giovanni De Verrazano Discovers New York Harbor

Giovanni De Verrazano was an Italian explorer, who sailed under the French flag. His goal was to find a passage to Asia. He landed on on March 1st 1524, on the coast of North Carolina off Cape Fear. He first headed South then turned North before he could run into Spanish. After exploring the coast of what is now North Carolina He headed northward. Verrazano found New York Bay. He spent only one day in the bay not getting much further then the straits that now bear his name. He continued up the coast, finding Narragansett Bay. He spent two weeks there. Finally, Verrazano continued north off the coast of Maine, then to Nova Scotia, finally returning to France via New Foundland.