Changes

[[Image:Vespucci.gif|left|140px]]

[[Image:Vespucci.gif|right|thumb]]'''Amerigo Vespucci''' (1451 - 1512) was a [[merchant]] and [[explorer]] from Florence once credited with discovering [[America]]. Booklets published in 1503 and 1505 gave exaggerated accounts of his travels. A map produced in 1507 by Martin Waldseemüller shows a continent called "America," named after Vespucci.

'''Amerigo Vespucci''' (Florence 1451 - Seville 1512) was a [[merchant]]/[[explorer]] who claimed that he had discovered [[America]]. The "New World", America, was named after Vespucci.<ref>http://library.thinkquest.org/4034/vespucci.html</ref> The name "America" was adopted by [[South America]] and gradually expanded to include [[North America]] as well. Amerigo traveled to the New World in 1499 landing in the northeastern portion of South America and voyaged again in 1502. He is credit as being the first person to realize that he was landing on a new continent and not a part of [[Asia]].<ref>http://www.answers.com/main/ntq-method-4-dsid-2222-dekey-Amerigo+Vespucci-gwp-8-curtab-2222_1</ref>

 

The "New World", America, was named after Vespucci.<ref>http://library.thinkquest.org/4034/vespucci.html</ref> The name "America" was adopted by [[South America]] and gradually expanded to include [[North America]] as well. Vespucci traveled to the New World in 1499 landing in the northeastern portion of South America and voyaged again in 1502. He is credit as being the first person to realize that he was landing on a new continent and not a part of [[Asia]].<ref>http://www.answers.com/main/ntq-method-4-dsid-2222-dekey-Amerigo+Vespucci-gwp-8-curtab-2222_1</ref>

The alternative theory is that America was named after Richard Americk, one of the backers of [[John Cabot]]'s voyage of discovery to the new world.

The alternative theory is that America was named after Richard Americk, one of the backers of [[John Cabot]]'s voyage of discovery to the new world.