In 1507 German cartographer Martin Waldseemüller was first mapmaker to use what name on a map of the new world?

In the early 16th century, European knowledge of the globe was expanding rapidly. German cartographer Martin Waldseemüller and his collaborator Matthias Ringmann were at the forefront of this effort, creating a groundbreaking world map in 1507. This map, titled "Universalis Cosmographia," was revolutionary for being the first to depict the newly discovered lands as a continent completely separate from Asia. In doing so, they faced a new challenge: what to call this vast, unknown landmass.

The inspiration for the name came from the popular published accounts of Italian navigator Amerigo Vespucci. Vespucci’s writings argued convincingly that these lands were not the eastern edge of Asia, as Columbus had believed, but an entirely "New World." Mistakenly crediting Vespucci as the first European to set foot on the new continent, Waldseemüller decided to honor him. Following the tradition of feminizing continental names like Europa and Asia, he took the Latin version of Vespucci's first name, "Americus," and created the name "America."

The name first appeared on the landmass of South America on Waldseemüller's 1507 map. Interestingly, Waldseemüller himself later seemed to regret this choice. After gaining a better understanding of Christopher Columbus's primary role, he removed the name from his subsequent maps, referring to the land instead as "Terra Incognita" (Unknown Land). By then, however, it was too late. The original map had been widely distributed, and other cartographers had already copied the catchy new name. It stuck, eventually being applied to both the northern and southern continents of the Western Hemisphere.