A World Explorer Amerigo Vespucci Author:Faith Yingling Knoop Amerigo Vespucci is credited with the discovery that the "Indies" were not part of Asia but a whole new world, yet to be explored. He mapped 6,000 miles of the South American coast for Portugal and Spain. He discovered new ocean currents, new stars, and how to tell longitude by the stars. He was not only a great explorer but a great scientist. A... more »nd the greatest scientists of the time honored Amerigo by naming the New World, America, for him. This is the story of his life.« less