The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1919-01-02
How America Was Named

1t is matter Of some interest and not a little
surprise that he who gave a new world to CASTLE
and to Spaln'' should not be the give his
to the land he discovered. Of course, reference is
frequently made to columbia, the Gem of the
Ocean," the district act aside for capital bears
his name British Columbia" adopts him, half
dozen cities in the United States Columbuses,'
and Colon" at the gateway of the Panama canal
the new way to India"-ls the Spanish spelling of
Columbus. Still to the world at large and the
pages of history, our land is known America.
This peculiar baptism of new land not after its
dscoverer. is usually done. but according to one
who came after him, is not so much due to accident
rivalry, but to primative German map, the first
which America is roughly outlined, and
which afterwards almost universally adopted by
scholars outside of Spain.
The man after which our name is taken was an
other Italian. born. strange to relate the year
as Columbus. in Florence, and who had made at
least two voyages to the new world following upon
the path of the from Spaln-Amergo Vespuc-
c. In of his extensively popularized letters of
his trip he claimed to have been the first man to
have foot upon the mainland of what is the Amer
lean continent Up until this time the lands touch
60 Dy COlumDuS naO Deon recOrOoO as the w est
Indies. still supposedly part of India. Only Bal
boa's passage of the isthmus in 1913 had rectifed
this mistake. In the meantime Vespucci had pub
lished his reports.
Just al this time printing press had been set up
at the College of St. Die, today French Lorraine,
and German professor of cosmology. Martin w aid
seemuler Hylacomyus published chart in his geo.
graphical work. "Cosmog raphae Introductio"
roughly describing the continent of America.
He justified his title with the note: I do not see
why may not be permitted call this fourth part
after Americus the discoverer, of sagacious
mind, by the name of Amerige-that is to say, the
land of Americus-or America, since both Europe
and Asia have feminine form of name, from the
names of women"
Vespucci himself cannot be blamed for hav-
ing intentionally taken this credit his name, for
he was personal friend of the great discoverer aud
probably had no such selfish intentions. Rather is
the result traceable the short cosmograph
ers, outside of Spain in subsequent centuries who
could have Investigated the original record in Spain
if they had wished
After holding out for centuries, even Spain alb
dcated to the name America in the eighteenth GEN.
fury.
On the occasion of the fourth centenary of the
discovery of America, when Leo KILL opened the
question of cannonization of Columbus, little
feeling was created by contrasting the and
regulations of Columbus and Amerigo. At the time
of the exposition in Chicago the feeling against Am
ergo was great that our American Blaine publish
ed hook under the title of Columbus and Colum-
ba'-to vindcate the dlscoverer and reveal to
the Americans what he considered was unworthy
credit to the man after whom they named. Even
Emerson took occasion to Amerigo of selfish
motives.
But subsequent investigation has shown that
the son of Florence was in way maliciously to
blame that his rather than that of the real dis
coverer should be used to baptze our land. In &C.
cordance with This. generally accepted view,
when the New York Numismatic and Archaeological
Society struck its first medal for ustrious
benafaetor' Of America few years ago. it chose
worthy of this honor the portrait of Amerigo Yes
pupci; the explorer. navigator and son of Florence