Amerigo Vespucci was born and brought up by his uncle in the Republic of Florence; in what is now Italy. The Americas are generally believed to have derived their name from the feminized Latin version of his first name.

At the invitation of King Manuel I of Portugal; Vespucci participated as observer in several voyages that explored the east coast of South America between 1499 and 1502. Manuel's commander Pedro 羖vares Cabral; on his way to the Cape of Good Hope and India in 1500; had discovered Brazil at latitude 16?2'S. Portugal claimed this land by the Treaty of Tordesillas; and the King wished to know whether it was merely an island or part of the continent that Spanish explorers had encountered further north.

Vespucci; having already been to the Brazilian shoulder; seemed the person best qualified to go as an observer with the new expedition Manuel was sending. Vespucci did not command at the start - the Portuguese captain was probably Gon鏰lo Coelho - but ultimately took charge at the request of the Portuguese officers. Vespucci; in all probability; voyaged to America at the time noted; but he did not have command and as yet had no practical experience piloting a ship. On the first of these voyages he was aboard the ship that discovered that South America extended much further south than previously thought.