To determine which exploration happened first according to historical accounts, we consider the dates of the voyages:
- Columbus (from Spain to Cuba) - Columbus made his first voyage in 1492.
- Cabot (from England to America) - John Cabot's voyage occurred in 1497.
- Verrazano (from France to America) - Giovanni da Verrazzano's voyage took place in 1524.
Given these dates, the first exploration among the options you provided is Columbus (from Spain to Cuba) in 1492.