Amerigo Vespucci is important because he was
one of the early explorers of the New World, and also
because the continents of North and South America were
named in his honor. (He was also known by the name of
Americus Vespucci.)
Amerigo Vespucci was born in Florence, Italy in 1454. He
was well-educated by his uncle, and became a businessman
involved in trading goods. That is how he became familiar
with ships. He moved to Seville, Spain in 1491 to work in
the trading business there. He was probably there when
Christopher Columbus returned from his first journey to
the New World. He then helped Columbus get ships ready
for his second and third voyages to the New World.
Vespucci was a skilled navigator. As a trader, he was
very interested in finding a quicker way to sail to Asia.
He went on at least two, and possibly four, voyages to
Central and South America between 1497 and 1504 for Spain
and Portugal. He went to many places, including Venezuela
and Brazil.
After his explorations in 1501-1502, he was one of the
first explorers to come up with the idea that these
places he had visited were not part of Asia (as Columbus
thought) but rather were part of a "New World." In 1507,
a pamphlet was published called "The Four Voyages of
Amerigo" and the author suggested that the new land that
Amerigo had explored be named in his honor. At first, the
name of America was only meant to apply to South America,
but later on, both continents of America became known by
his name.
After his explorations, Amerigo returned to Seville and
became its Master Navigator. He stayed in that job until
he died in 1512.
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