Amerigo Vespucci was born in 1454 to a wealthy and prominent family in Florence, Italy. Amerigo was an ardent student who enjoyed reading and collecting scholarly items such as books, maps and journals. He studied under Michelangelo and was rumored to be an accomplished artist.
As an educated young man, Vespucci began working for local bankers and financiers. In 1492, he was sent to Spain to manage his employer's banking and investment interests. While in Spain, Vespucci was drawn to the excitement surrounding the growing interest in exploration. The recent voyage of Columbus and others generated much interest in the nation as people wondered how man would reach the fabled Indies via a westward direction.
Vespucci began working on ships and learning all that he could about navigation and exploration. He worked as the ship's navigator on his first voyage to the newly discovered New World. His first expedition reached the mouth of the Amazon River in what is now known as Brazil......
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