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History
Cod and the Age of Exploration
How cod fishing off Newfoundland financed the European colonisation of North America - the fish that built empires.
Era: Early modern Region: North Atlantic Year: 1497
📖 Overview
When John Cabot returned from Newfoundland in 1497 reporting waters so thick with cod "they hindered the passage of ships," European powers competed for access. Salt cod became a strategic commodity - shelf-stable, protein-rich, and cheap. It fed the naval fleets of Portugal, France, England, and Spain, and helped power the Atlantic slave trade.