The New World initially called North and South America, separating these continents from the Old World: Europe, Asia and Africa. However in process of opening of new territories this name extended also to Antarctica, Australia and Oceania.
Instruction
1. Arguing on the New World, it is necessary to differentiate the concepts "part of the world" and "continent". Parts of the world call continents or their separate parts together with nearby islands. In total allocate six parts of the world: Europe, Asia, Africa, America, Antarctica, Australia and Oceania. Division of sushi into continents is based on sign of an otdelennost by water space from each other. Parts of the world represent a historical and cultural concept. The continent Eurasia switches off in itself two parts of the world: Europe and Asia, and America as part of the world, consists of two continents: North America and South America.
2. The name "Old World" designates continents – Europe, Asia and Africa known to Europeans to October 12, 1492 when Christopher Columbus reached the island of San Salvador in the Bahama archipelago. This day is official date of discovery of America. Columbus considered that he opened a new way to India. Therefore new territories began to call West Indies, and their aboriginals – Indians. The phrase "New World" appeared later, so began to call the part of the southern continent opened by Portuguese beyond the Atlantic Ocean in 1500-1502.
3. Many scientists believe that the term "New World" was entered in 1503 by the Florentine seafarer Amerigo Vespucci whose name and was received subsequently by new continents. However a number of researchers considers that this merit belongs Pietro Martire D'Angyera, to the italo-Spanish historian who in 1492 in the letter on the first swimming of Columbus used this phrase in Latin. In 1516 it published the well-known work "De orbe novo …" ("In the New World …") where described the first contacts of Europeans with aboriginals of open lands.
4. In 1524 this name was used by the Italian seafarer Giovanni da Verrazzano in the story about swimming along the coast of the present USA and Canada. It is interesting that initially by the term "New World" designated mainly southern continent and only after 1541 when new lands received the name "America", so began to call also the northern continent.
5. During the era of Great geographical discoveries lasting since the end of the 15th century to the middle of XVII practically all territories earlier unknown to Europeans were open and plotted: Australia, Antarctica, numerous islands in Quiet and Indian oceans. Subsequently the concept "New World" also extended to these lands.