Final answer:
John Cabot would have used primitive navigational tools like maps, the astrolabe, cross-staff, and a compass to determine his sailing direction, particularly for latitude estimation by measuring the elevation of the sun and stars.
Step-by-step explanation:
John Cabot used various navigational tools to determine the direction he was sailing. Before technologies such as the GPS were invented, sailors relied on the positions of the sun and stars to navigate. They used instruments like the astrolabe and the cross-staff to measure the elevation angle of celestial bodies above the horizon, which then allowed them to estimate their latitude. The compass, which has been around since the 11th century and is not reliant on clear skies, was also a crucial tool for establishing heading at sea. However, determining longitude was much more complicated and less accurate without the modern methods of timekeeping that came later. Considering the available technologies of Cabot's time, he would have likely relied on maps and a compass to aid in directional navigation, alongside celestial methods for latitude measurements.