Amerigo Vespucci was born in Florence, Italy on March 9,1454. He was a famous Italian
navigator. Amerigo Vespucci died in Seville, Spain on Feb.22,1512 .
Amerigo was a banker. ( A banker was a very poor job.) At the age of 25 or 26 he decided
to be an explorer. He was from Italy but he sailed for Portugal and Spain.
In 1504 in Latin Vespucci made a pamphlet called Mundus Novus, which means New World.
The Successful voyages of Christopher Columbus incouraged Vespucci to seek a western passage to the Indies. He set
sail from Cadiz, Spain on May 10, 1497, toward the Fortunate Islands. He was 46 years old.
What area is this? (Italy)
After 27 or 37 days on the 6th or 10th of April, he touched the mainland (Guiana or Brazil)
and was well received by the people who lived there. In his first voyage he might have entered the Gulf of Mexico and coasted
along a great portion of the United States, as far as the Gulf of St. Lawrence. He returned to Cadiz
on October 15,1498. 
On May 16,1499, Vespucci sailed off on his second voyage from Cadiz. Alonzo de Ojeda and Juan de la Cosa joined him on this voyage. Amerigo Vespucci directed
his course to Cape Verde in Africa, crossed the equator, and saw land along the coast of Brazil.
He discovered Cape St. Augustine and the River Amazon. He
made notable observations of the sea currents, and of the Southern Cross. He returned to Spain in September 1500.
On May 14, 1501, he sailed from Lisbon, Portugal to Cape Verde
in Africa. and then westward until January 1,1502. He came to a gulf and named it Bahia de Todos Santos. Which is where
Bahia, Brazil now stands.
( Bahia, Brazil)
Maria Cerezo apparently married Amerigo Vespucci in 1505.( Their marrage is not for certain.) They had no children.
His exploration days were over when he returned to Spain and the king made Amerigo an official citizen.
After the king made Amerigo an official citizen he was an offifial pilot trainer until Amerigo died of disease. Pilot means
the person who navigates the ship.
