A map of the "New World" produced in 1507 had the name "America" on it. What was the source of the name?
A) The Carib Indian word for "prosperity" B) The Crown Prince of Spain’s favorite horse C) Columbus’s daughter D) An Italian explorer ü
Both Spain and Portugal sent expeditions to the "New World", and some of those expeditions included an Italian officer named Amerigo Vespucci. An excellent mapmaker, Vespucci explored and charted the northern coast of South America. In 1507, the German cartographer Martin Waldseemuller published Vespucci’s map with the name "America" on it, and the name stuck. Presumably he chose the feminine form of Amerigo’s name for consistency with Asia and Africa.
