6BVespucci2009

By: Eric and Madeleine __
 * __Amerigo Vespucci

[[image:Amerigo.jpg width="237" height="247"]][[image:230px-Amerigo_Vespucci01.jpg width="184" height="248"]]
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__Background__

Amerigo Vespucci was an Italian-born explorer who was born in 1451 and died in 1512. Vespucci was born in Florence, probably on March 9th, 1451 and died on February 22nd, 1512. He was always avidly interested in maps and astronomy. Vespucci also devoured new exploration news and stories. ||
 * __Voyages__

Vespucci made four expeditions to the Americas. On his first voyage, in 1497, Vespucci claimed to have explored the American mainland. In other sources of information Vespucci turned back because of strong ocean currents. From 1499 to 1500, Vespucci sailed from Cadiz, Spain and sailed on the eastern coast of South America. Vespucci, in the 1499-1500 voyage, took part in an expedition led by Alonso de Ojeda, a Spanish explorer. On that voyage, Vespucci and Ojeda journeyed along the coast of Venezuela. According to different sources, Vespucci went on the voyage to make astronomical observations, including searching for a star at the South Pole similar to one at the North Pole. In Amerigo Vespucci's 3rd voyage, 1503-1504, Vespucci sailed from Libson, Portugal and, like his 2nd voyage, sailed on the eastern coast of what we now call South America. There is little known about Vespucci's 4th voyage but if it indeed happened, it took place in South America from 1503 - 1504. __ (Scroll down to see Vespucci's map of the four recorded voyages made on  __ ||  || Amerigo Vespucci was not in search of gold, but pearls. Though Vespucci was in search of pearls he bacame interested in the monkeys and parrots of Brazil. He was also looking to find a new fruit.   ||
 * [[image:Monkey_Vespucci.jpg width="173" height="173"]][[image:Parrot_Vespucci.png width="148" height="174"]][[image:brazil%20flag.gif width="145" height="175"]] || __Purpose Of Journeys__
 * __Hardships And Challenges__

Vespucci, in his 1500 voyage, was forced by strong currents to turn back before he could locate the star(s) for which that he was looking. It took Vespucci 64 days to cross the Atlantic Ocean because of strong winds and currents pushing him of his course.  || ||
 * [[image:Amerigo_to_America.jpg]] || __Historical Contributions__

The Americas were named after Amerigo Vespucci. Vespucci was the first person to realize that the Americas were a separate continent from Asia. Since Vespucci proved there was a new continent (what we now call South America) other explorers wanted to explore this new continent right after they heard the news. || After Amerigo died, scholars began to question Amerigo's claims because they found little evidence which actually proved that there was a new continent and Vespucci discovered it. Even though Vespucci claimed to have led all of the voyages, it was thought that he could only really have been a navigator or commander of a single ship. || ||
 * __Other Events__ <span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">

<span style="font-size: 170%; color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"> __<span style="font-size: 150%; color: rgb(55, 252, 49); font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Vespucci's map of his four recorded voyages made on Microsoft Paint __



__<span style="font-size: 150%; color: rgb(147, 10, 245);"> <span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Amerigo Vespucci's Two Day Diary __

A day in 1500

These past days were very hard for the crew. I mean, we heard and saw the storm coming, I wanted to turn back, but I was over-ruled. We were trying to go around the storm but, we didn’t quite know what direction it was coming from, it was just gray and dark. We felt the cold rush of the wind, oh how it made the crew and I very cold. The waves started to get rough and I just started thinking what was going to happen next. There were only two possibilities; one, we get through the storm and survive; two, we don’t. I don’t know what happened next, well, there was lightning and thunder and gray skies. Just don’t know. The shipped rocked and turned, I almost thought we were going the wrong way.

Amerigo Vespucci

64 days later

We finally made it back to the mainland. We proved there was a new continent! We had a freshly made meal. I felt really good about myself those days back on the mainland. Alonso de Ojeda was there and I was glad that he pulled through during the storm. Most commanders would have lost hope, but not Alonso.

Amerigo Vespucci



<span style="font-size: 150%; color: rgb(255, 15, 161);"> <span style="font-size: 160%; color: rgb(255, 0, 255); font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"> __<span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Here is a quiz made on the website <Quiz Your Friends> __

[|http://www.quizyourfriends.com/take-quiz.php?id=0905021229147690&a=2&]

__ <span style="font-size: 160%; color: rgb(255, 156, 20); font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Vespucci Time Line made on Microsoft Paint __



__<span style="font-size: 160%; color: rgb(253, 23, 23); font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Sources __

__ Online Website(s): __

Rosenberg, Matt. “ Amerigo Vespucci. ” __About__. Aug. 22, 2007. Aprill 25 2009 < http://geography.about.com/cs/historicalgeog/a/amerigo.htm >.

"EnchantedLearning." [], copyright©1999-2009, April 26th 2009. __ Online Encyclopedia(s): __

Moyer, Ann E. "Vespucci, Amerigo." __World Book Online Reference Center__. 2009. <http://www.worldbookonline.com/wb/Article?id=ar584200> April 27, 2009

__ Other(s): __

[|http://www.quizyourfriends.com/take-quiz.php?id=0905021229147690&a=2&]

__ Picture(s): __

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http://www.corning.k12.ia.us/images/verna/WebQuest_files/Amerigo.jpg

http://www.stoneridgepress.com/images/J-Red-backedSquirrelMonkeys828_2807_000.jpg

http://quest.nasa.gov/hst/events/stars.gif

http://s3.amazonaws.com/readers/scienceray/2008/07/27/238861_2.jpg

http://nikhish.com/Amerigo_Vespucci01.jpg

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__ Books __

Fritz, Jean. Around The World In A Hundred Years. Broadway: Ssholastic Inc, 1994