Why has Amerigo Vespucci name become more famous than Columbus?

Answer 1

http://books.Google.com/books?id=j7THdpoazVIC&pg=PA1&dq=americus+Vespucci&ei=1IvzSLjYMZj4MJ-SldgI#PPA1,M1

This link refers to a Harper & Brothers Publishers, February 1907 book authored by Frederick Albion Ober.

The book's given explanation simply states that "Amerigo" would be the Italian name, and "Americus" is the Latinized version of the same name.

I have also seen another account of the changed name attributed to being his grandfather's name.

My early school recollection of 40 years ago is how fortunate we are to be known for his "first" name as opposed to the family name. Imagine, North and South Vespucci, or the Vespuccian continent........The United States of Vespucci?

It could have been!

poor old Robert

Answer 2

Because both Columbus and Vespucci found America, but Columbus claimed it to be Asia. Vespucci however, knew it was not Asia and claimed it to be the "new world." A map-maker )Walseemueller, or however you spell that!) decided to name the new land after him, hence the name America. Hope that helped!!

Answer 3

Amerigo Vespucci's name became more famous than Columbus because he wrote detailed accounts of his voyages describing the New World, leading mapmakers to use his name to label the continents. This increased visibility and association with the Americas made his name more well-known than Columbus, whose exploration was initially associated with Asia.