Giovanni da Verrazzano was an Italian explorer in the service of France. In the early 1520s, the pursuit of new trade routes was paramount for European nations. Verrazzano set out from Madeira on January 17, 1524, with the ambition of discovering a passage to the Pacific Ocean. He was motivated by reports of vast riches and new lands, a common theme of the era shaped by earlier explorations and commercial interests. The goal of this expedition was not only to find a new route but also to map new areas that would increase French influence in North America, especially given Spain and Portugal's prominent claims in the regions of the New World.Upon departure, Verrazzano commanded a small vessel named the La Dauphine, embarking on a journey fraught with uncertainty as few Europeans had previously explored the waters he aimed to navigate. His explorations would lead him to parts of what is present-day North America. This quest for a westward passage would ultimately yield a wealth of geographical knowledge and serve as a precursor to later explorations by other navigators. Although he would not find the Pacific route as intended, Verrazzano's voyages opened avenues for French claims in the territory stretching from present-day Florida to Newfoundland, impacting European colonization efforts in the following decades.