Tammy Bruce: Map That Named America Goes on Display

Map That Named America Goes on Display

Am I the only one surprised by whom the mapmakers give credit? I'm worried I might be having a Dana Perino Moment.

Map that named America is a puzzle for researchers

The only surviving copy of the 500-year-old map that first used the name America goes on permanent display this month at the Library of Congress, but even as it prepares for its debut, the 1507 Waldseemuller map remains a puzzle for researchers.

Why did the mapmaker name the territory America and then change his mind later? How was he able to draw South America so accurately? Why did he put a huge ocean west of America years before European explorers discovered the Pacific?

"The actual shape of South America is correct," said Hebert. "The width of South America at certain key points is correct within 70 miles of accuracy." Given what Europeans are believed to have known about the world at the time, it should not have been possible for the mapmakers to produce it, he said.

The map gives a reasonably correct depiction of the west coast of South America. But according to history, Vasco Nunez de Balboa did not reach the Pacific by land until 1513, and Ferdinand Magellan did not round the southern tip of the continent until 1520...

The mapmakers say they based it on the 1,300-year-old works of the Egyptian geographer Ptolemy as well as letters Florentine navigator Amerigo Vespucci wrote describing his voyages to the new world. But Hebert said there must have been something more.

Mapmakers from 1507 credit, in part, Ptolemy. For a map of the Americas. When did I miss that?

Posted by Tammy · December 10, 2007 10:24 PM · Permalink
History

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Amazing how this comes flooding back some 20 years later! Wow. I do recall that Ptolemy was 'the' guy for astonomy and math. He wrote a work called "Geography" which was highly touted for map makers as he used extrapolation in conjunction with lats and longs..Many used his work (especially the Vatican!) when map making.

Also, at the time the big rivals Vespucci and Columbus..yes indeed. Vespucci work, Mundus Novus, his expedition to South America was used to help draft the map as well..I believe..

But as far as Ptolemy? Yeppers, he was the 'go to' scholar for map making..
However this seems a bit fishy to me, or..who knows this could be a radical right wing conspiracy and it's all Bush's fault. I bet the latter wins out as the 'true' story.

FUN post Tammy!! And thanks for making me think at 2:48am!! I loved it. Now if I got any of that wrong, let me know friends, but this history degree is not just hanging on the wall for decor!

Posted by: Trinity at December 10, 2007 11:48 PM

The article is poorly written. This 1507 map is purportedly the first world map which included the Western Hemisphere. Waldseemüller used the writings of Amerigo Vespucci and the notes of Columbus and "other unknown Portuguese and Spanish sources" to draw the Western Hemisphere portion, not Ptolemy. First "America" Map to Go on Display

This article may be more enlightening.
The Map That Named America

Thus, in a remote part of northeast France, was born the famous 1507 world map, whose full title is "Universalis cosmographia secunda Ptholemei traditionem et Americi Vespucci aliorum que lustrationes" ("A drawing of the whole earth following the tradition of Ptolemy and the travels of Amerigo Vespucci and others"). That map, printed on 12 separate sheets, each 18-by-24-inches, from wood block plates, measured more than 4 feet by 8 feet in dimension when assembled.

The large map is an early 16th-century masterpiece, containing a full map of the world, two inset maps showing separately the Western and Eastern Hemispheres, illustrations of Ptolemy and Vespucci, images of the various winds, and extensive explanatory notes about selected regions of the world. Waldseemüller's map represented a bold statement that rationalized the modern world in light of the exciting news arriving in Europe as a result of explorations across the Atlantic Ocean or down the African coast, which were sponsored by Spain, Portugal and others.

Posted by: pat_s at December 11, 2007 05:40 AM

Thanks Pat. World of difference, pun intended :) Yeah, with just the Ptolemy reference and indications that there is no way the mapmakers could have known about the Pacific Ocean, the Ptolemy reference was odd, in that context. And Trinity, great background, but even knowing of Ptolemy's 'astronomy' that still wouldn't get the body of an ocean, and proper continental borders.

I feel a little less like Dana and more like, well, me ;) As soon as there are decent pic of the map I'll post them.

Thanks.

Posted by: Tammy at December 11, 2007 09:55 AM

Ptolemy gets credit because he calculated the circumference of the earth more or less correctly. Beyond that, who knows?

Posted by: Dave J at December 11, 2007 05:52 PM

Interesting. Here's a high rez image of the map. While Europe, Africa, and western Asia appear to be fairly accurate, it looks to me like they had only the vaguest idea of the western hemisphere beyond the West Indies.

Posted by: Swen at December 12, 2007 08:33 AM

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