Why is America called America?
Dear Rea,
We’ve been learning about how Columbus landed in the New World, but isn’t it curious that the continents are called America and not Columbia? Today, I want to share with you the story behind the name America.
It all starts with a man named Amerigo Vespucci, an Italian explorer who sailed to the New World between 1497 and 1504. While Columbus believed he had reached Asia, Vespucci realized that these lands were actually part of a new continent. He wrote detailed letters about his voyages, describing the lands, people, and cultures he encountered.
In 1507, a German cartographer named Martin Waldseemüller was creating a new world map. He had read Vespucci’s published letters and was impressed by the explorer’s insights. Waldseemüller decided to honor Vespucci by naming the new lands “America,” the feminine Latin version of Amerigo’s first name.
Waldseemüller’s map was widely circulated and highly influential. It was the first to depict the New World as separate continents and to use the name America. The name caught on and began to appear on other maps and in writings about the New World.
Interestingly, Spain initially refused to accept the name America. They believed that Columbus, who sailed under the Spanish flag, should receive the credit for discovering the New World. They continued to use names like “Indies” or “New World” in their official documents for many years.
This story shows us how history often follows a curious path and is more complex than we might think. For instance, did you know that the Vikings had come to America nearly 500 years before Columbus? They even established settlements in what is now Newfoundland. However, their voyages predated the printing press, so news of their discoveries didn’t spread as widely as Columbus’s did.
There are even some claims that Chinese explorers might have landed on the west coast of America long before European explorers. While these claims are still debated, they remind us that history is full of surprises and untold stories.
We can imagine an alternate world where if Waldseemüller had chosen to name the continent Columbia, we might be living in the United States of Columbia today! Or if Viking or Chinese explorations had been more widely known, the continents might have a completely different name.
Love, Abba
