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(1451-1512) Amerigo Vespucci was a merchant/explorer who claimed that he had discovered [[America]]. In 1507, someone suggested that the "New World" should be named America, after Vespucci.{{fact}} The name "America" was adopted by [[South America]] and gradually expanded to include [[North America]] as well.

'''Amerigo Vespucci''' (1451-1512) 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.

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.