Why is America called America and not Columbia?
By Xavier Bage
@franxav (14591)
India
October 18, 2016 9:50am CST
We are told that Christopher Columbus discovered America but the country is named after Amerigo Vespucci. What is Amerigo's contribution to the land and people of the new world that two continents are named to honor him?Many students in the old world don't even know his name.
3 people like this
4 responses
@nanette64 (20363)
• Fairfield, Texas
18 Oct 16
Columbus actually landed on the Bahamas and not the land where Florida is @franxav whereas Amerigo Vespucci did actually land on the North American Continent. Why they give Columbus the tribute is beyond me. And actually, the Viking Leif Eriksson was truly the first to touch American soil.
2 people like this
@nanette64 (20363)
• Fairfield, Texas
21 Oct 16
@marguicha The original settlers of the Bahamas were from South Africa. England gave the Bahamas their independence in 1973.
@marguicha (230349)
• Chile
21 Oct 16
Columbus did not realise that he had discovered a new land. Vespucci did. Still, in my country we have a holiday on October 12, when Columbus reached the New World. And there´s no holiday for Vespucci although he has his name on the land.
