Show GIVEN HONOR NOT DESE RV p Error of Learned Men Responsible fl fo America Being Named Name d After Amerigo Vespucci The story of how the new world r received re- re the name of ot America Is a Ing lug example of what publicity will Wi a Amerigo Vespucci a highly h educated Florentine was head of ot i a business house In Seville Spain pro ably as ag agent nt for the great t firm ef of f the Medicis and helped to fit out one of the expeditions With Avith which Columbus sailed When the latter monopoly was rev revoked ked Vespucci Un nn several voyages of n non on his own account during which he claimed in many letters to have ben been the first to reach the mainland of ot th the new continent giving the he date as June Jane 16 1407 3 On April 25 1507 the learned heads head of the University of St. St Die In u Loto Lor mine raine decided incorrectly that he wu was entitled to the honor of discovery Co c. lumbus having only reached reached the tin Islands of the West Vest Indies and that tha the western hemisphere should be lei bear his name The name America waS was vaa therefore first used In the book Cos by professor of raphy at the university It has since been shown that Yes Ves was preceded by both Columbus Columbu find and John Cabot but it was too late lat tho new world had been christens christened America and the fact advertised la III I print The hou house e where the meeting was held at which the classical error erro was made was still standing at St. St StD DIe Dle at nt the outbreak of ot the war and wu wee annually visited by many tourists from fron both North and South America |