Amerigo Vespucci
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Amerigo Vespucci (1451-1512) was a merchant/explorer who claimed that he had discovered America. The "New World", America, was named after Vespucci.[1] 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.[2]
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.
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