The end of the XV-th and the entire XVI century became for Europe a time of revolutionary events. It was an era of great geographical discoveries, which will soon lead the whole world to large-scale changes, substantially transforming its appearance. In addition to the simple appearance of new territories at the disposal of Europeans and the emergence of new states in the future, these trips have led to a change in the whole worldview of the society of the Old World. The proven fact that The land was round, did not become decisive in the rise of humanism and the principle of scientific knowledge, but he made his important contribution to the liberation of Europe from the religious scholasticism of the Middle Ages. In addition, the opening of new trade routes, new forms of large-scale slaveholding, the creation of a colonial system, the appearance in Europe of the myriad gold reserves of the Mesoamerican civilization led to a change in socio-economic and political relations in the Old World. All this contributed to the emergence of capitalism, civil society, the concept of nations, in general, the world as we know it now.
Monument to the discoverers
Of course, the time of great achievements could not but leave Europeans and their heroes in memory. They were those who personally participated in the travels, creating prerequisites for a new world and those who made their voyages possible by their labors. Today in Lisbon stands a monument to the discoverers, immortalized in stone 33 figures who contributed to the discovery. The monument rises on the Atlantic coast, and its faces are directed to the blue distance, to where the ships sailed five hundred years ago in search of new worlds.
Who is Amerigo Vespucci?
The name of this man was not among the discoverers, immortalized in stone on the coast of Portugal. However, he influenced the development of events no less than others. Amerigo Vespucci was the son of a Florentine public notary. In his youth, he received a good education, mastering physics, astronomy, seaworthy work, Latin and theology. In 1490, he enters the service in a trading house, located in Seville and owned by his compatriot Donato Berardi. This was an important moment in the fate of the young man, since it was this trading house who for some time sponsored the travels of Christopher Columbus. Obviously, their acquaintance took place during this period.
So who discovered the New World?
Today, many know which continent Amerigo Vespucci discovered, and who does not know, it's not difficult to guess which continent name is consonant with this name. However, our memory also speaks of the fact that Christopher Columbus became the first European to open the New World . Then why did it happen? Why the continent was eventually named after Amerigo Vespucci - America? For the first time in modern times, Europeans Landed on the islands near this continent in 1492. It was the expedition of Christopher Columbus, and no one today disputes his right to open. However, the traveler did not understand and until his death (in 1506) did not know that he had found a new way to India and not a new one. This discovery belongs to Amerigo Vespucci, who, inspired by the successes of other travelers, makes his own voyages to mysterious lands in 1499 and 1501. After studying the shoreline and returning to Europe, he is the first to say that overseas, apparently, was found a new continent, and not Asia and not the islands, and he is waiting for his study. In particular, this is indicated in the letter of Amerigo to the Medici in 1503. The attribution of the name to the continent was influenced by the fact that the Florentine published a number of notes on his travels, introducing Europe to the overseas world. What Columbus did not do. However, it is fair to note that Amerigo never initiated the name of the continent in his honor and probably did not even know about it until his death. The initiative belongs to the European booksellers of the beginning of the XVI century, familiar with the discoveries, mainly on the news of the Florentine.