In Columbus's letter on the first voyage, published following his first return to Spain, he claimed that he had reached Asia, as previously described by Marco Polo and other Europeans. Over his subsequent voyages, Columbus refused to acknowledge that the lands he visited and claimed for Spain were not part of Asia, in the face of mounting evidence to the contrary. This might explain, in part, why the American continent was named after the Florentine explorer Amerigo Vespucci—who received credit for recognizing it as a "New World"—and not after Columbus.
in columbus's letter on the first voyage published following his first return to spain he claimed that he had reached asia as previously described by marco polo and other europeans over his subsequent voyages columbus refused to acknowledge that the lands he visited and claimed for spain were not part of asia in the face of mounting evidence to the contrary this might explain in part why the american continent was named after the florentine explorer amerigo vespucci—who received credit for recognizing it as a "new world"—and not after columbus