Amerigo Vespucci, finally, is a rather embarrassing namesake, who, though a hero to some, is a villain to many, denounced as a charlatan or a fraud, a … Match. Vespucci was able to calculate how far west he had traveled by observing the conjunction of Mars and the Moon. And so they did. Question: Why did Amerigo Vespucci travel? Born on March 9th, 1454 in Florence, Italy, Amerigo Vespucci was a prominent Italian explorer, cartographer, merchant, navigator and financier.He is famous for coining the term the “New World.” This supercontinent was eventually named by Martin Waldseemuller “America,” which is a feminized Latin version of his Amerigo. His 1499 voyage took him to the coast of modern Guyana and went on to explore the coast of Brazil, becoming the first European to see the Amazon River. His Uncle Georgio Antonio, a Dominican friar, gave him an outstanding education in Greek, Latin, astronomy, cosmography, mathematics and natural philosophy. He was an Italian merchant, born in 1454 in Florence and employed by the Medicis. The name for the Americas is derived from his given name. He did a little more exploring and then returned to Spain, possibly taking syphilis with him. Vespucci's first voyage left Spain on May 10, 1497, and according to one of his letters, he may actually have discovered Venezuela before Columbus did. Introduction Although Christopher Columbus is credited for discovering the “New World,” he always believed he had reached Asia. Lourdes_Aguiar. He was remembered in history because he made a speicial map that had more land than anyone else's map! Vespucci had a love of the sea, which helped him decide to explore. Amerigo also acquired advanced navigation skills, surprising since Florence is landlocked. He did important business and had many contacts. Why Amerigo Vespucci Recognized a New World (and Columbus Missed Out) If you count historical success by cities and controversy, Columbus has the edge. Vespucci held the position for the remainder of his life. Flashcards. And so they did. Amerigo Vespucci: Amerigo Vespucci was an Italian explorer, cartographer, and navigator who sought wealth in the New World during the Age of Exploration. Amerigo Vespucci - Naming a New World Amerigo Vespucci was an Italian explorer, navigator, and cartographer (mapmaker) from Florence, Italy. Amerigo Vespucci, merchant and explorer-navigator who took part in early voyages to the New World (1499–1500, 1501–02) and occupied the influential post of piloto mayor (‘master navigator’) in Sevilla (1508–12). America was named after him because he was the first person to say that the new world wasn't the West Indies, but a new country. Introduction Although Christopher Columbus is credited for discovering the “New World,” he always believed he had reached Asia. Why did Portugal want to explore the world? He is famous for being the first person to show that the new lands discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1492 were not the eastern portion of Asia but actually a separate continent, a New World as it would come to be called. But why? The expedition reached the mouth of the Amazon River and explored the coast of South America. Test. Amerigo Vespucci, however, actually confirmed that it was not Asia, but instead a separate continent. Amerigo Vespucci. Correspondence with Christopher Columbus inspired Amerigo Vespucci to continue exploring to find the New World. Lettera di Amerigo Vespucci delle isole nuovamente trovate in quattro suoi viaggi (Letter of Amerigo Vespucci concerning the isles newly discovered on his four voyages), known as Lettera al Soderini or just Lettera, was a letter in Italian addressed to Piero Soderini, published in 1504 or 1505. But then, most towns in Italy lie less than 50 miles from the sea, and trade equaled wealth. After Christopher Columbus's voyage, he thought that if Spain let Christopher get supplies from, they would let Amerigo. Write. Because of this, North and South America bear his name. ... Amerigo Vespucci. Amerigo Vespucci (/ v ɛ ˈ s p uː tʃ i /; Italian: [ameˈriːɡo veˈsputtʃi]; March 9, 1454 – February 22, 1512) was an Italian explorer, financier, navigator, and cartographer from the Republic of Florence. This is a timeline of his life. Who was the first explorer to realize that South America was not part of Asia? Created by. Because of this, North and South America bear his name. But if you liken it in square miles, late bloomer Amerigo Vespucci wins by two continents! Amerigo Vespucci: Amerigo Vespucci was an Italian explorer, cartographer, and navigator who sought wealth in the New World during the Age of Exploration. By 1502, the Florentine merchant and explorer Amerigo Vespucci had figured out … PLAY. The king and queen then was Ferdinand and Isabella. It was at the invitation of king Manuel I of Portugal, that Vespucci participated as observer in several voyages that explored the east coast of South America between 1499 and 1502. Gravity. He was just a month shy of 58 years old.