---
title: Map of the Voyages of Amerigo Vespucci,  1499-1502
author: Simeon Netchev
source: https://www.worldhistory.org/image/14710/map-of-the-voyages-of-amerigo-vespucci--1499-1502/
format: machine-readable-alternate
license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0)
updated: 2025-10-19
---

# Map of the Voyages of Amerigo Vespucci,  1499-1502

_Authored by [Simeon Netchev](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/simeonnetchev/)_

## Image File

[![Map of the Voyages of Amerigo Vespucci,  1499-1502](https://www.worldhistory.org/uploads/images/14710.png)](https://www.worldhistory.org/uploads/images/14710.png)

## Image Caption

Amerigo Vespucci’s transatlantic voyages (1499–1502) took place during the height of the European Age of Exploration, when Spanish and Portuguese navigators were competing to chart new routes across the Atlantic. Vespucci, a Florentine navigator and merchant in service first to Spain and later to Portugal, participated in expeditions along the coast of South America, reaching as far south as present-day Patagonia by 1502. His detailed letters describing vast new lands “not Asia but a New World” captured the imagination of European scholars. These accounts inspired the German cartographer Martin Waldseemüller, who, in his 1507 world map, labeled the southern continent America, the first known use of the name in honor of Vespucci.

While Vespucci’s writings helped shape [Europe](https://www.worldhistory.org/europe/)’s perception of the Western Hemisphere, modern historians continue to debate the accuracy of his claims and even the extent of his personal involvement in some voyages. Questions remain about whether Vespucci exaggerated his role or whether his letters were later edited for political prestige. Nonetheless, his reports profoundly influenced early cartography and the conceptual shift from viewing the Atlantic as a barrier to seeing it as a bridge between worlds, a turning point in the global age of discovery.

#### Editorial Review

This human-authored image has been reviewed by our editorial team before publication to ensure accuracy, reliability and adherence to academic standards in accordance with our [editorial policy](https://www.worldhistory.org/static/editorial-policy/).

## About the Author

Simeon is a freelance visual designer and history educator, passionate about the human stories that shape the past.
- [Linkedin Profile](https://www.linkedin.com/in/simeon-netchev/)

## Cite This Work

### APA
Netchev, S. (2021, October 18). Map of the Voyages of Amerigo Vespucci, 1499-1502. *World History Encyclopedia*. <https://www.worldhistory.org/image/14710/map-of-the-voyages-of-amerigo-vespucci--1499-1502/>
### Chicago
Netchev, Simeon. "Map of the Voyages of Amerigo Vespucci, 1499-1502." *World History Encyclopedia*, October 18, 2021. <https://www.worldhistory.org/image/14710/map-of-the-voyages-of-amerigo-vespucci--1499-1502/>.
### MLA
Netchev, Simeon. "Map of the Voyages of Amerigo Vespucci, 1499-1502." *World History Encyclopedia*, 18 Oct 2021, <https://www.worldhistory.org/image/14710/map-of-the-voyages-of-amerigo-vespucci--1499-1502/>.

## License & Copyright

Submitted by [Simeon Netchev](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/simeonnetchev/ "User Page: Simeon Netchev"), published on 18 October 2021. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0deed.en). This licence only allows others to download this content and share it with others as long as the author is credited, but they can't change the content in any way or use it commercially. When republishing on the web a hyperlink back to the original content source URL must be included. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms.