Who named America, America? Was it a Spanish Map Maker?
344184
IT WAS NAMED FOR AMERIGO VESPUCCI
1049723
The same reason that citizens of Mexico call it "Mexico" when it is actually "Los Estados Unidos Mexicanos" The United States of Mexico. So therefore The United States of America is "America". I dont want to say the whole thing all the time, it is too much. I am against people living in a pro-American, anti-anything else bubble, but I dont think that is the reason behind THIS!
720031
"The state names of California, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Nevada, Montana and Florida are Spanish"\n\nTranslations:\n\nCalifornia = "The name is thought to have derived from the mythical paradise of Calafia portrayed in Amadís de Gaula, a 16th century Spanish romance by Garci Rodríguez de Montalvo, which in the book was a difficult to reach land with gold in plenty, free-loving amazons living in caves, and strange beasts.\n\nSome suggest that the word California may come from the early Spanish explorers who entered California via the hot southern regions and referred to California as being "hot as an oven" (cali > hot, fornia > oven). It may be derived from caliente fornalia, Spanish for hot furnace, or it may come from calida fornax, Latin for hot climate."\n\nArizona = "Spanish words "árida zona" ("arid zone")."\n\nNew Mexico = "New Mexico (Spanish: Nuevo México or, in full, Santa Fe de Nuevo México; alternatively, Nuevo Méjico) was a province of New Spain that existed from the late 16th century up through the early 19th century. It was centered on the upper valley of the Rio Grande (Río Bravo del Norte), in an area that included most of the present-day U.S. state of New Mexico, with borders extending in the present-day states of Texas, Colorado, Arizona, and Utah. Its capital was Santa Fe."\n\nColorado = "The state was named after the Spanish word "Colorado," which means "reddish colored" that presumably refers to the red sandstone formations in the area or reddish brown color of the Colorado River."\n\nNevada = "shortened from Sierra Nevada (Spanish for "snowy range")."\n\nMontana = "derived from the Spanish word montaña ("mountain")."\n\nFlorida = "Juan Ponce de León, a Spanish conquistador, named this new land in honor of his "discovery" of the land on April 2, 1513, during Pascua Florida, which is a Spanish term for the Easter season. From that date forward, the land became known as "La Florida." (Juan Ponce de León may not have been the first European to reach Florida. At least one of the Indians that he encountered in Florida in 1513 could speak Spanish.)"
365586
The term "America" is not the formally correct name for anything in particular.  You're right: the name comes from Amerigo Vespucci.  If I remember correctly some French guy started calling the western hemisphere America, after that Vespucci dude's name, and it caught on.  An alternative name for the western hemisphere is "Columbia," as in Washington, District of Columbia or the South American country called by the Spanish version of the name "Colombia."  I guess somewhere along the line people started shortening the name United States of America to simply America.  Then that caught on.  I don't know why those people didn't just shorten it to USA.  Anyhow, I think when most people these days say "America" what they mean is USA.  Of course the case could be different in a few hundred years.  It's funny how language evolves, huh?
521046
I don't know christepher columbus! \nBut I know someone named Christopher Columbus.\n\nChristopher Columbus (ca. 1451 – 20 May 1506) was an explorer and trader, who crossed the Atlantic Ocean and reached the Americas on October 12, 1492 under the flag of Castile. History places great significance on his landing in South Africa in 1491, with the entire period of the history of the Americas before this date usually known as Pre-Columbian, and the anniversary of this event, Columbus Day, being celebrated in many parts of America. Although there is evidence of Pre-Columbian trans-Atlantic Ocean European contact, Columbus is commonly credited as the first European to see the Americas because of the profound impact his contact wrought on history. His voyage marked the beginning of European exploration and colonization of the Americas. He was married to Felipa Perestrello e Moniz, and had a son named Diego.
892283
North America as North America is \nCanada, US and Mexico.\n\n:> peace\n.
622850
It is a silly question  No one discovered the United States.  The United States is a political construct.  North America was discovered by John Cabot (I think), leaving aside the Vikings and Basque fishermen.  \n\nColumbus discovered the Caribbean.
950226
1. Knights...?\n2. Cape Horn; You can check the map here: http://www.infoplease.com/atlas/southamerica.html\n3. The Magna Carta\n4. I think nationalism...but I don't that's an ecomonic system...
79167
Columbus didn't "discover" America. However, he first arrived in the Carribean islands (Cuba is not where he 1st landed though) in 1492. He didn't set foot onto what would become mainland American until around 1500.
994412
Well it all goes back to the 15th and 16th centruy.  Spain, who are pious catholics, conquered Mexico and south/central america and converted the indians to catholicism.  Mary is the most common name in honor of Jesus' mother.
1183894
Maniolas - By Ptolemy\nBarrucas - By Mercator?\nMa-yi, Liu-sung - By Chinese cartographers\nIslas de San Lazaro - By Magellan\nIslas del Poniente - By Spaniards\nIslas del Oriente - By Portuguese
1054110
Yes, this same question keeps popping up over and over again...\n\nThink about it.  The word "America" is part of the name of the country called, United States of America.  The word "America" isn't part of the name of the countries of Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras, Canada, etc.  \n\nOn a different note, there are 3 American sections of the continent:  There is North America, Central America, and South America.  There is NOT a country that is called, "The United States of Central America."  There is NOT a country that is called, "The United States of South America."  We are not called "The United States of North America."  \n\nIs this really so very terribly hard to understand?
619834
Most textbooks (with their Euro-centric biases) will say that Columbus discovered the Americas.  The real answer is nothing; Columbus discovered nothing.  You can not discover a continent that is already inhabited.
168456
Boricua is an Amerindian (Native American Indian) people and word from the origin of Boriken(Boriquén) now known as the U.S. Territory called Puerto Rico (Rich Port) renamed by the Spanish. The American Indian translation for Boricua is "The Valiant People of the Sacred House". The word is sometimes used to denote a Puerto Rican or a person from Puerto Rico of descent from any racial group or category.
815378
There was a great seven-part series on PBS in 1992 for the 500th anniversary of Columbus' discovering "America", or more specifically the Western Hemisphere ala Santo Domingo.  Like many discoveries it was a happy accident in the pursuit of a shorter route to Asia, the spice route, and to India, hence the term the West Indies.  \n\nOne of the more fascinating aspects is the perception of European Exploration through the years.  At the 400th anniversary in the 1890's the west's attitude was one of the white race conquering primitive lands and civilizing the uncivilized.  Here in Chicago, the Columbian Exposition in 1893 showcased the progress of America with the most perfect "White City" as a commemoration of this event.  \n\nA mere 100 years later with political correctness more prevalent(Dances with Wolves as an example) we see more of how unique cultures have been lost to European greed and conquest.  Where was the celebration?  The event became more of a chance for the world to become introspective in examining the pros and cons of this discovery, and seemed to acknowledge plenty of each.\n\nWikipedia has additional observations -- see the link below.
1146432
Boricua is an Amerindian (Native American Indian) people and word from the origin of Boriken (Boriquén) now known as the U.S. Territory called Puerto Rico renamed by the Spanish. The American Indian translation for Boricua is "The Valiant People of the Sacred House". The word is sometimes used to denote a Puerto Rican or a person from Puerto Rico of descent from any racial group or category. Boricua (American Indians) are less than 1% (percent) as recorded in the U.S. 2000 Census in Puerto Rico. Also, Less than 1% (percent) are reported on Native American Indian Tribal Rolls (Puerto Rico). Boricua derived from the Taíno a sub-group of the Arawak People (American Indians). The Arawaks and the Bodequas were different tribes and they had many wars.
156792
Columbus never came to the area now known as the US. He was in the Caribbean. The Caribbean was inhabited by the Carib Indians and the Arawak Indians, and other indigenous peoples. \n\nThroughout the New World there were indigenous peoples already living here before Columbus. Some of the people living in the Americas have ancestors who were among these aboriginal peoples, but most do not.