Who led the first English expedition to arrive in America?

The first English expedition to arrive in America is generally credited to John Cabot, an Italian explorer who sailed under the English flag in 1497. Cabot's voyage, commissioned by King Henry VII, sought a westward route to Asia but instead landed on the coast of North America, likely in present-day Newfoundland. His journey marked England's initial foray into the exploration and colonization of the New World.