Amerigo Vespucci (1454-1512)

Amerigo Vespucci, an Italian navigator from Florence, explored the coast of South America in 1497. He skirted the coast of Venezuela and made several voyages to Brazil. Vespucci explored its coasts as far as the mouth of the La Plata River. On returning home he wrote interesting description of what he had seen.

His impressions of the American continent were published in 1504, and this was the first printed account of the mainland of the New World. In his book Amerigo Vespucci proved that the land discovered by Columbus was not India but the new continent, which constituted the fourth part of the world, in addition to Europe, Asia and Africa. The New World was decided to name after him – America, the land of Amerigo. At first the name America was applied to Brazil, later to South America, and still later to the whole of the New World.

Check your comprehension.

I. How could Columbus, to his point of view, reach India? 2. Who helped him carry out his plans? 3. What vessel was under Columbus's command? 4. Where did Columbus land after ten weeks' voyage? 5. Why did Columbus call the native people Indians? 6. What did people in Europe reproach and censure Columbus for? 7. When did Columbus get to know of his great discovery? 8. What part of the American continent did Amerigo Vespucci explore? 9. What important idea did Vespucci prove in his book? 10. How did he call the discovered land in his description?

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SOME AMERICAN PRESIDENTS

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Chapter 10	\|	George Washington (1732-1799) (2018)

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