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Whose Map First Showed the Americas as a Separate Continent?
historygeography
Quick Answer
Martin Waldseemüller's 1507 world map was the first to label "America" as a separate landmass.
The Full Story
German cartographer Martin Waldseemüller produced the Universalis Cosmographia in 1507, the first map to depict the Americas as a separate continent and to use the name "America" — derived from Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci, who recognised the landmass as a "New World" rather than part of Asia. About 1,000 copies were printed, but only one survives, purchased by the Library of Congress in 2003 for $10 million. Waldseemüller later removed the name from subsequent maps, but it had already stuck.
Key Facts
1.The map measures about 1.2 × 2.4 metres assembled from 12 panels.
2.Vespucci's voyages (1499–1502) revealed that the South American coastline extended far south.
3.Columbus went to his grave believing he had reached Asia, not a new continent.
YouTube Angle
Suggested video title for this topic:
"The Map That Named America — Waldseemüller's 1507 Masterpiece"