Colin Moffat (Letters, 14 October) claims Columbus was responsible in some way for the naming of America and denies that the word was derived from the name of Amerigo Vespucci, whom he describes as ...

SIR – If, as you suggest, Belgium were to break apart, it would be a victory for nationalism and regionalism in Europe (“Time to call it a day”, September 8th). Diversity, respect and understanding ...

The news first reached most Europeans in letters by Amerigo Vespucci, a Florentine merchant who had taken part in at least two voyages across the Atlantic, one sponsored by Spain, the other by ...

Perhaps its most remarkable feature was a new continent. On the left of the map were two land masses across the Atlantic; the northern one marked “Parias” while the southern one was named “America”.

The name “America” was invented 500 years ago, in 1507. The German mapmaker who did it mistakenly thought Italian adventurer Amerigo Vespucci had discovered the mainland of the New World. The man who ...

The man who lent his name to the American continents was thought to be an intrepid explorer in the league of Christopher Columbus and Vasco de Gama. But a new book portrays Amerigo Vespucci as little ...