Amerigo Vespucci
Amerigo Vespucci | |
|---|---|
 Statue at theUffizi,Florence | |
| Born | March 9, 1451 |
| Died | February 22, 1512(aged 60) |
| Nationality | Italian |
| Other names | Américo Vespucio [es] Americus Vespucius [la] |
| Occupation(s) | Merchant,explorer,cartographer |
| Known for | Demonstrating that theNew Worldwas notAsiabut a previously-unknown fourthcontinent.[a] |
Amerigo Vespucci(9 March 1451[1]- 22 February 1512) was anItalianmerchant,explorerandcartographer.He was the first person to explain that the places discovered byChristopher Columbusin 1492 were not part ofeast Asia,but an unknown continent which he called "TheNew World".Americagot its name when other cartographers used a feminized andlatinizedversion of his first name,Americus.[2]
Not much is known of Vespucci's life. Two books were published saying he wrote them. Some letters exist, also saying he wrote them. He visited the New World at least twice, and died ofmalaria.
References
[change|change source]- ↑The letters of Amerigo Vespucci and other documents illustrative of his career:"We learn from Bandini that Amerigo was the third son of a notary at Florence, named Ser Nastagio (Anastasio) Vespucci, by Lisabetta Mini, and that he was born on March 9th, 1451.".
- ↑Arciniegas, Germán.Amerigo and the New World: the life & times of Amerigo Vespucci.Translated by Harriet de Onís. New York: Octagon Books, 1978.
Other websites
[change|change source]
Media related toAmerigo Vespucciat Wikimedia Commons
- Canaday, James A.The Life of Amerigo VespucciArchived2010-03-28 at theWayback Machine.
- Account of 'The First Voyage', 1497: Letter of Amerigo Vespucci To Pier Soderini - Fordham University (U.S.) Internet Modern History SourcebookArchived2014-08-14 at theWayback Machine
- A scale modelArchived2008-09-20 at theWayback Machine- A scaled wooden model of the Amerigo Vespucci.
- Amerigo Vespucci by Frederick A. OberatProject Gutenberg
- 'I am America.'- New York Times: Five hundred years ago, our continent was given a name.
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