# What were mapmaker Martin Waldseemueller's exact words on his now famous world map showing the Ameri

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-mapmaker-martin-waldseemuellers-exact-words-on-his-now-famous-world-map-showing-the-ameri/673323>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 7, 2013, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-mapmaker-martin-waldseemuellers-exact-words-on-his-now-famous-world-map-showing-the-ameri/673323 "2013-11-07T10:56:10Z")\
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**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![davidmich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e56c9b/32.png) [@davidmich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidmich)\
**Post date:** [November 7, 2013, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-mapmaker-martin-waldseemuellers-exact-words-on-his-now-famous-world-map-showing-the-ameri/673323/1 "2013-11-07T10:56:10Z")

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What were mapmaker Martin Waldseemueller’s exact words on his now famous world map showing the American continent? Was it Ameriga or America. I know he mistakenly thought Amerigo Vepucci had discovered America, but i can’t find his exact words. I look forward to your feedback.  
davidmich

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**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\
**Post date:** [November 7, 2013, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-mapmaker-martin-waldseemuellers-exact-words-on-his-now-famous-world-map-showing-the-ameri/673323/2 "2013-11-07T11:32:39Z")

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According to [this map](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waldseem%C3%BCller_map), it was “America.”

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**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\
**Post date:** [November 7, 2013, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-mapmaker-martin-waldseemuellers-exact-words-on-his-now-famous-world-map-showing-the-ameri/673323/3 "2013-11-07T12:07:52Z")

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Both. He first said it could be called Amerigen (which would be a Latinized form of America) or simply America.

> [@](#):
>
> Atqȝ in sexto climate Antarcticù versus & pars extrema Africae nuper reperta & Zamzibar Iauva minor & Seula insule & quarta orbis pars (quam quia Americus inveuit Amerigen quasi Americi terrā siue Americā nuncupare licet) sitae sunt.

> [@](#):
>
> In the sixth climate toward the Antarctic there are situated the farthest part of Africa, recently discovered, the islands Zanzibar, the lesser Java, and Seula, and the fourth part of the earth, (which, because Amerigo discovered it, we may call Amerigen, the land of Amerigo, so to speak, or America).

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**Author:** ![davidmich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e56c9b/32.png) [@davidmich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidmich)\
**Post date:** [November 7, 2013, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-mapmaker-martin-waldseemuellers-exact-words-on-his-now-famous-world-map-showing-the-ameri/673323/4 "2013-11-07T12:57:22Z")

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Thank you all very much. Very helpful indeed.  
davidmich