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105-761: The originally Greek term Okeanos Aithiopos is an old name for what is now called the South Atlantic Ocean. It is separated from the North Atlantic Ocean by a narrow region between Natal, Brazil and Monrovia, Liberia . The term Ethiopian Ocean appeared until the mid-19th century, for example on the map Accuratissima Totius Africae in Lucem Producta , engraved by Johann Baptist Homann and Frederick de Wit and published by Jacob von Sandrart in Nürnberg in 1702. The name Aethiopian

210-593: A Franciscan habit in his wife's family tomb. Vespucci died on 22 February 1512. Upon his death, Vespucci's wife was awarded an annual pension of 10,000 maravedis to be deducted from the salary of the successor chief pilot. His nephew Giovanni was hired into the Casa de Contratación where he spent his subsequent years spying on behalf of the Florentine state. A few days ago I wrote you at some length about my return from those new regions we searched for and found with

315-661: A French translation of the Soderini letter as well as a Portuguese maritime map that detailed the coast of lands recently discovered in the western Atlantic. They surmised that this was the "new world" or the " antipodes " hypothesized by classical writers. The Soderini letter gave Vespucci credit for discovery of this new continent and implied that the Portuguese map was based on his explorations. In April 1507, Ringmann and Waldseemüller published their Introduction to Cosmography with an accompanying world map. The Introduction

420-492: A commercial representative on behalf of the fleet's investors. Years later, Ojeda recalled that "Morigo Vespuche" was one of his pilots on the expedition. The vessels left Spain on 18 May 1499 and stopped first in the Canary Islands before reaching South America somewhere near present-day Suriname or French Guiana . From there the fleet split up: Ojeda proceeded northwest toward modern Venezuela with two ships, while

525-531: A decree by the mayor, all times during the month of December), there is a 20% increase in fare prices, this is indicated by a number 2 showing in the fare meter. There are several tele-taxis companies in Natal. The dune buggy is the vehicle used most to drive along the beaches . Some companies offer tours in Land Rovers and other 4WD vehicles, these cars offer much more comfort, but buggy drivers claim that

630-423: A familiarity with the work of the classic Greek cosmographers, Ptolemy and Strabo , and the more recent work of Florentine astronomer Paolo dal Pozzo Toscanelli . In 1478, Guido Antonio Vespucci, Amerigo's other uncle, led a Florentine diplomatic mission to Paris and invited his younger cousin, Amerigo Vespucci, to join him. Amerigo's role is not clear, but it was likely as an attache or private secretary. Along

735-532: A family chapel in the Ognissanti church, and the nearby Hospital of San Giovanni di Dio was founded by Simone di Piero Vespucci in 1380. Vespucci's immediate family was not especially prosperous but they were politically well-connected. Amerigo's grandfather, also named Amerigo Vespucci, served a total of 36 years as the chancellor of the Florentine government, known as the Signoria ; and Nastagio also served in

840-516: A few years of the publication of his two letters, the European public became aware of the newly discovered continents of the Americas. According to Vespucci: Concerning my return from those new regions which we found and explored...we may rightly call a new world. Because our ancestors had no knowledge of them, and it will be a matter wholly new to all those who hear about them, for this transcends

945-470: A handful of letters written by him or attributed to him. Historians have differed sharply on the authorship, accuracy and veracity of these documents. Consequently, opinions also vary widely regarding the number of voyages undertaken, their routes, and Vespucci's roles and accomplishments. Starting in the late 1490s Vespucci participated in two voyages to the New World that are relatively well-documented in

1050-435: A hostile band of natives who killed and ate one of its crewmen. Sailing south along the coast they found friendlier natives and were able to engage in some minor trading. At 23° S they found a bay which they named Rio de Janeiro because it was 1 January 1502. On 13 February 1502, they left the coast to return home. Vespucci estimated their latitude at 32° S but experts now estimate they were closer to 25° S. Their homeward journey

1155-427: A jogging track, and stays open for visitors from Tuesday to Sunday. Museums in Natal include: Museu de Arte Sacra, Museu de Cultura Popular, Espaço Cultural Palácio Potengi, Instituto Histórico e Geográfico do Rio Grande do Norte, Pinacoteca do Rio Grande do Norte, Museum Camara Cascudo, Memorial Camara Cascudo. The Natal Aquarium was founded and is run by a family of biologists and retired environmentalists. Besides

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1260-484: A junior branch of the Medici family. Although Amerigo was twelve years older, they had been schoolmates under the tutelage of Giorgio Antonio Vespucci. Amerigo served first as a household manager and then gradually took on increasing responsibilities, handling various business dealings for the family both at home and abroad. Meanwhile, he continued to show an interest in geography, at one point buying an expensive map made by

1365-439: A lagoon of fresh water, with strong attraction for tourism. The region has a good infrastructure of hotels, inns, restaurants, beach tents , tours of "buggies", rafts and dromedaries. It is played in the dunes around the lake called "esquibunda" stakeholders sit down the dunes on top of planks of wood, to dive in the waters of the lagoon. The tours of " buggies " are offered in the local "with emotion" or "no emotion", according to

1470-568: A million maravedis in Columbus's first voyage, and he won a potentially lucrative contract to provision Columbus's large second fleet. However, profits proved to be elusive. In 1495, Berardi signed a contract with the crown to send 12 resupply ships to Hispaniola but then died unexpectedly in December without completing the terms of the contract. Vespucci was the executor of Berardi's will, collecting debts and paying outstanding obligations for

1575-604: A new ramification starts to grow. There is even a gazebo located in the cashew, a popular attraction among tourists. Forte dos Reis Magos or Fortaleza dos Reis Magos is a medieval fortress that was the first milestone of the city – founded on 25 December 1599 – on the right side of the bar of the river Potenji (today near the Ponte Newton Navarro). It received its name based on the date of commencement of its construction, 6 January 1598, at Epiphany Catholic calendar. The Natal City Park Dom Nivaldo Monte, or simply

1680-487: A refrigerated aquarium, there is a couple of penguins . The Cashew of Pirangi is the biggest cashew tree in the world. In 1994, it entered the Guinness book as the tree which covers the largest area, 8,400 square meters; it is larger than a typical football pitch. Due to a genetic mutation, the branches of this tree grow outwards rather than upwards; thus when a branch touches the ground, roots are not created, rather

1785-586: A total area of 170 square kilometres (66 sq mi). Natal lies on the Atlantic Ocean, at the mouth of the Potengi River . Natal has a typical tropical climate , specifically a tropical wet and dry climate ( Köppen climate classification : As ), with warm to hot temperatures and high relative humidity all throughout the year. However, these conditions are relieved by a near absence of extreme temperatures and pleasant trade winds blowing from

1890-521: A very strong adverse current which they could not overcome. Forced to turn around, the ships headed north, retracing their course to the original landfall. From there Vespucci continued up the South American coast to the Gulf of Paria and along the shore of what is now Venezuela. At some point they may have rejoined Ojeda but the evidence is unclear. In the late summer, they decided to head north for

1995-503: Is 15 min during the peak hours, up to one hour. The Sistema de Trens Urbanos de Natal is a two-line commuter rail system that operates over 56 km of track, and served 3.7 million passengers in 2018. There are plenty of taxis in the city. Taxis are white cars and have a red plate. Fares are the same, regardless of how new and comfortable the car is. Fares are regulated by the government. From 10:00 pm to 6:00 am at weekdays, and all hours at weekends (and, depending on

2100-583: Is 30 km (19 mi) from Natal. Natal Air Force Base - ALA10 , one of their most important bases of the Brazilian Air Force , is located in the nearby city of Parnamirim . Federal Highway BR-101 is the most important access to Natal, coming from the South of Brazil , through the boundary with the municipality of Parnamirim. For those who come from the State of Ceará , the principle access

2205-524: Is Brazil's closest city to Africa and Europe, its Greater Natal International Airport connects the city with many Brazilian destinations and also operates some international flights. The city was one of the host cities of the 2014 FIFA World Cup . The Brazilian coast has long been home to indigenous peoples, generally members of the Tupi language family . While written records do not exist, archeological evidence suggests that pre-European inhabitants moved from

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2310-568: Is a great avenue built next to the dunes and beaches of the city, including making the connection of several beaches in the state. The Pipa Beach is located 85 kilometres (53 miles) from Natal and completely away from urban centers. A beach Paradise that attracts thousands of tourists every year. Carnival in Natal, known as " Carnatal ", is one of the largest off-season carnivals in Brazil . Carnatal takes place sometime in November or December, in

2415-401: Is a national scientific research pole on Oil Sciences (ranging from Geophysical to Law studies), supported mostly by Petrobras financing. The fishing industry is strong ( shark cartilage being a major export to Japan) as is the cultivation of tropical fruit, especially mangos , guavas , and cashews (the fruit and the nuts). In fact, the largest cashew tree in the world is located near

2520-481: Is by the Federal Highway BR-304, through the boundary with the municipality of Macaíba, where you pick up BR-226 taking people to Natal. Leaving Natal, an important access to the southern Potiguar coast is the " Sun Route" (Rota do Sol) as RN-063 is known by, and which takes you to the beaches of Pirangi, Búzios, Tabatinga, up to the municipality of Nísia Floresta. The North Shore is accessible from

2625-471: Is known about her; Vespucci's will refers to her as the daughter of celebrated military leader Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba . Historian Fernández-Armesto speculates that she may have been Gonzalo's illegitimate offspring and a connection that would have been very useful to Vespucci. She was an active participant in his business and held power of attorney for Vespucci when he was away. The evidence for Vespucci's voyages of exploration consists almost entirely of

2730-518: Is open to visitation of tourists to know the rockets, but must make an appointment to visit the center. The Parrachos de Maracajaú of coral reefs are the seven kilometers (4.3 miles) of beach in Maracajaú, forming natural pools. Occupy an area of 13 km (8 mi), excellent for snorkeling in the coral diving underwater that, at low tide, touch the surface. It is one of the places in Brazil where

2835-521: Is perhaps the most controversial of Vespucci's voyages, as this letter is the only known record of its occurrence, and many historians doubt that it took place as described. Some question the authorship and accuracy of the letter and consider it to be a forgery. Others point to the inconsistencies in the narrative of the voyage, particularly the alleged course, starting near Honduras and proceeding northwest for 870 leagues (about 5,130 km or 3,190 mi)—a course that would have taken them across Mexico to

2940-566: Is the Soderini letter; but several modern scholars dispute Vespucci's authorship of that letter and it is uncertain whether Vespucci undertook this trip. There are also difficulties with the reported dates and details in the account of this voyage. By early 1505, Vespucci was back in Seville. His reputation as an explorer and navigator continued to grow and his recent service in Portugal did not seem to damage his standing with King Ferdinand. On

3045-403: Is the capital and largest city of the state of Rio Grande do Norte , located in northeastern Brazil . According to IBGE 's 2022 estimate, the city had a total population of 751,300, making it the 24th largest city in the country. Natal is a major tourist destination and an exporting hub of crustaceans , carnauba wax and fruits , mostly melon , sugar apple , cashew and papaya . Natal

3150-401: Is the most important industry of Natal, attracting Brazilians , Europeans (many from Spain, England, Scandinavia , Germany, Portugal , Italy and France), and U.S. citizens alike. There has been an increase of 211% in foreign tourism in Natal between 2002 and 2007 (for the same time period the increase of foreign tourism in Brazil was 62,8%); This is a due to the accessibility of Natal and

3255-401: Is unclear since Vespucci left a confusing record of astronomical observations and distances travelled. In 1503, Vespucci may have participated in a second expedition for the Portuguese crown, again exploring the east coast of Brazil. There is evidence that a voyage was led by Coelho at about this time but no independent confirmation that Vespucci took part. The only source for this last voyage

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3360-508: The Age of Discovery between 1497 and 1504, first on behalf of Spain (1499–1500) and then for Portugal (1501–1502). In 1503 and 1505, two booklets were published under his name containing colourful descriptions of these explorations and other voyages. Both publications were extremely popular and widely read throughout much of Europe. Historians still dispute the authorship and veracity of these accounts, but they were instrumental in raising awareness of

3465-741: The Gorgons lived in the Gorgades , islands in the Aethiopian Sea. The main island was called Cerna and, according to Henry T. Riley , these islands may correspond to Cape Verde . On 16th century maps, the name of the Northern Atlantic Ocean was Sinus Occidentalis , while the central Atlantic, southwest of present-day Liberia , appeared as Sinus Atlanticus and the Southern Atlantic as Mare Aethiopicum . By

3570-729: The Newton Navarro bridge , following the Praia do Forte to Genipabu, and the Igapó Bridge, following the district of Igapó by BR-101 to Touros, and by BR-406 to Macau. Natal is connected to all the 167 municipalities of Rio Grande do Norte and dozens of locations and Potiguar districts, through the Passenger Bus Terminal of Natal (Terminal Rodoviário de Passageiros de Natal), located in the Eastern Zone of

3675-836: The Signoria and in other guild offices. More importantly, the Vespuccis had good relations with Lorenzo de' Medici , the powerful de facto ruler of Florence. Amerigo's two older brothers, Antonio and Girolamo, were sent to the University of Pisa for their education; Antonio followed his father to become a notary, while Girolamo entered the Church and joined the Knights Hospitaller in Rhodes. Amerigo's career path seemed less certain; instead of following his brothers to

3780-559: The 17th century John Seller divided the Atlantic Ocean in two parts by means of the equator . He named the northern portion of the Atlantic "Mar del Nort" and the southern part "Oceanus Æthiopicus" in his Atlas Maritimus published in 1672. Edward Wright did not label the North Atlantic at all but called the portion south of the equator the "Aethiopian Sea" in a map that was published posthumously in 1683. John Thornton used

3885-684: The Amazon to the coasts approximately 2,900 years ago. Near the Rio Grande de Norte, the Potiguara people were the most numerous indios encountered by the Portuguese. It is believed that in 1500, prior to contact with the Europeans, there were over 1 million people living in coastal Brazilian among all of the local groups. This nearly equaled the population of Portugal at the time. The northeastern tip of South America, 20 miles (32 km) to

3990-557: The Atlantic coast. The greatest amount of rain falls between March and July. Known as the "City of the Sun " and also as "The City of the Dunes ", Natal is located in the northeastern tip of Brazil . Lying about six degrees south of the equator the sun shines on for more than 3,000 hours every year. The average temperature in Natal is about 27 °C or 80.6 °F. During the summer season it normally reaches above 30 °C (86 °F) with

4095-499: The Atlantic they resupplied at Cape Verde , where they encountered Cabral on his way home from his voyage to India. This was the same expedition that had found Brazil on its outward-bound journey the previous year. Coelho left Cape Verde in June, and from this point Vespucci's account is the only surviving record of their explorations. On 17 August 1501 the expedition reached Brazil at a latitude of about 6° south. Upon landing it encountered

4200-535: The City Park is an urban park. Inaugurated on July 21, 2008 with architectural project of Oscar Niemeyer . It has a unique, monumental tower, and has a museum and restaurant. Festa Junina was introduced to Northeastern Brazil by the Portuguese for whom St John's day (also celebrated as Midsummer Day in several European countries), on the 24th of June, is one of the oldest and most popular celebrations of

4305-473: The Magnaghi thesis (acknowledging that publishers probably tampered with Vespucci's writings) and declares all four voyages genuine, but differs from Arciniegas in details (particularly the first voyage). Samuel Morison (1974) flatly rejected the first voyage but was noncommittal about the two published letters. Felipe Fernández-Armesto (2007) calls the authenticity question "inconclusive" and hypothesizes that

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4410-540: The Medici business in Seville. In addition to managing Medici's trade in Seville, Berardi had his own business in African slavery and ship chandlery . By 1492 Vespucci had settled permanently in Seville. His motivations for leaving Florence are unclear; he continued to transact some business on behalf of his Medici patrons but more and more he became involved with Berardi's other activities, most notably his support of Christopher Columbus 's voyages. Berardi invested half

4515-427: The New World was secure. In 1513 Waldseemüller published a new map with the New World labelled "Terra Incognita" instead of "America", and the accompanying text names Columbus as discoverer. Many supporters of Columbus felt that Vespucci had stolen an honour that rightfully belonged to Columbus. Most historians now believe that Vespucci was unaware of Waldseemüller's map before his death in 1512 and many assert that he

4620-466: The Pacific Ocean. Certain earlier historians, including contemporary Bartolomé de las Casas , suspected that Vespucci incorporated observations from a later voyage into a fictitious account of this supposed first one, so as to gain primacy over Columbus and position himself as the first European explorer to encounter the mainland. Others, including scholar Alberto Magnaghi, have suggested that

4725-536: The Soderini letter was not written by Vespucci at all, but rather by an unknown author who had access to the navigator's private letters to Lorenzo de' Medici about his 1499 and 1501 expeditions to the Americas, which make no mention of a 1497 voyage. The Soderini letter is one of two attributed to Vespucci that were edited and widely circulated during his lifetime. In 1499, Vespucci joined an expedition licensed by Spain and led by Alonso de Ojeda as fleet commander and Juan de la Cosa as chief navigator. Their intention

4830-464: The Soderini letter was not written by Vespucci, but was cobbled together by unscrupulous Florentine publishers who combined several accounts – some from Vespucci, others from elsewhere. Magnaghi determined that the manuscript letters were authentic and based on them he was the first to propose that only the second and third voyages were true, and the first and fourth voyages (only found in the Soderini letter) were fabrications. While Magnaghi has been one of

4935-408: The Soderini letter was true. Other historians followed in support of Vespucci including John Fiske and Henry Harrisse . In 1924, Alberto Magnaghi published the results of his exhaustive review of Vespucci's writings and relevant cartography. He denied Vespucci's authorship of the 1503 Mundus Novus and the 1505 Letter to Soderini, the only two texts published during his lifetime. He suggested that

5040-698: The Spanish colony at Hispaniola in the West Indies to resupply and repair their ships before heading home. After Hispaniola they made a brief slave raid in the Bahamas , capturing 232 natives, and then returned to Spain. In 1501, Manuel I of Portugal commissioned an expedition to investigate a landmass far to the west in the Atlantic Ocean encountered unexpectedly by a wayward Pedro Álvares Cabral on his voyage around Africa to India. That land would eventually become present-day Brazil. The king wanted to know

5145-601: The Spanish crown. He continued his work as a chandler, supplying ships bound for the Indies. He was also hired to captain a ship as part of a fleet bound for the "spice islands" but the planned voyage never took place. In March 1508, he was named chief pilot for the Casa de Contratación or House of Commerce which served as a central trading house for Spain's overseas possessions. He was paid an annual salary of 50,000 maravedis with an extra 25,000 for expenses. In his new role, Vespucci

5250-616: The appeal Brazil has for an increasing number of tourists, clearly showing that Natal is the area leading the Brazilian tourism boom. Natal is the number one area receiving international investments in Brazil. Natal will benefit enormously from the massive future investments on the coastline . It is also a relevant administrative center for the oil industry ( Rio Grande do Norte being the second largest oil-producing state in Brazil). Thus, its Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN)

5355-427: The authenticity of his two printed letters. Most authors believe that the three manuscript letters are authentic while the first voyage as described in the Soderini letter draws the most criticism and disbelief. A two-voyage thesis was accepted and popularized by Frederick J. Pohl (1944), and rejected by Germán Arciniegas (1955), who posited that all four voyages were truthful. Luciano Formisiano (1992) also rejects

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5460-421: The authenticity of the three complete letters was convincingly demonstrated by Alberto Magnaghi in 1924. Most historians now accept them as the work of Vespucci but aspects of the accounts are still disputed. Vespucci has been called "the most enigmatic and controversial figure in early American history". The debate has become known among historians as the "Vespucci question". How many voyages did he make? What

5565-496: The beach, is located at Via Costeira (Coastal Way), a road in the middle of coastal dunes that connect the various beaches of the city. The beach is completely urbanized and there are several points shops, restaurants, bars and night clubs. The sand itself is lined with "tents", or huts, that serve food and drinks to beachgoers day and night. A common sight on the beach are "jangadas", simple, multicolored, local fishing boats typical of northeastern Brazil. The Via Costeira (Coastal Way)

5670-399: The belief that they had reached the eastern edge of Asia. Vespucci's reputation was perhaps at its lowest in 1856 when Ralph Waldo Emerson called Vespucci a "thief" and "pickle dealer" from Seville who managed to get "half the world baptized with his dishonest name". Opinions began to shift somewhat after 1857 when Brazilian historian Francisco Adolfo de Varnhagen wrote that everything in

5775-516: The buggy is more flexible. Riding a buggy, people feel the sun and the wind. Buggies are safe, accidents with buggies are much less frequent than accidents with other cars (most dune buggy drivers are certified by the Tourist Authority). The Port of Natal is specialized in cold storage cargo such as fruit, fish and shrimp , among others. It has its own customs facilities and is connected to Europe by direct navigation lines, mainly to

5880-414: The cheapest way to move around Natal. Passes or magnetic cards can be purchased beforehand, but it is easiest to pay the conductor. There are large buses, micro buses and vans, driving along the same streets, charging the same fares. All the main touristic spots within Natal are well served by buses. People may expect to travel standing up on the big buses (not so with micros and vans). Typical waiting time

5985-401: The chief proponents of a two-voyage narrative, Roberto Levellier was an influential Argentinian historian who endorsed the authenticity of all Vespucci's letters and proposed the most extensive itinerary for his four voyages. Other modern historians and popular writers have taken varying positions on Vespucci's letters and voyages, espousing two, three, or four voyages and supporting or denying

6090-648: The city of Mossoró which gathers thousands of people during the month of June. The Newton Navarro bridge is one of the highest bridges in Brazil and has over a gorgeous sunset seen from Potengi River . It makes the connection with the beaches of the north coast of the state. In addition to unburden the city traffic, the bridge became a tourist attraction because of its large size. The Natal Historic Center it comprises an area of approximately 201,278 m (2,166,538.36 sq ft), which are included 150 buildings of various styles, including colonial architecture, neoclassical, art-deco and modernist. This area comprises

6195-652: The city. All the accesses to the countryside of the state are through the Metropolitan region of Natal, composed of the municipalities of Ceará-Mirim, Emaús, Extremoz, Macaíba, Monte Alegre, Nísia Floresta, Parnamirim e São Gonçalo do Amarante. Buses with direct destinations to various Brazilian capitals also leave from the Passenger Bus Terminal of Natal. The cities with regular weekly schedules are: Belo Horizonte, Fortaleza, Goiânia, João Pessoa, Palmas, Recife, Salvador, São Luiz e Teresina. Buses are

6300-473: The coast in the neighborhood of Pirangi, south of the city center. This tree has a circumference of 500 metres and occupies an area of 7,300 m², making it 70 times the size of average cashew trees. The GDP for the city was R$ 206,832,516,000 (2019). The per capita income for the city was R$ 26,972.28 in 2021. Portuguese language is the official national language, and thus the primary language taught in schools. But English and Spanish are part of

6405-912: The construction of the Fort of the Holy Kings or of the Magi-Kings (" Forte dos Santos Reis " or " Forte dos Reis Magos "), named after the Three Wise Men , honored in the Christian feast of the Epiphany , celebrated on that day. Natal (which translates to "Nativity" or "Christmas" in Portuguese) was founded on December 25, 1599, giving the village outside the fort the modern name of the city. The fort, city, and surrounding areas were occupied by Dutch forces from 1633 to 1654. They rechristened

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6510-472: The contrary, the king was likely interested in learning about the possibility of a western passage to India. In February, he was summoned by the king to consult on matters of navigation. During the next few months he received payments from the crown for his services and in April he was declared by royal proclamation a citizen of Castile and León. From 1505 until his death in 1512, Vespucci remained in service to

6615-447: The country and the sixth largest in the northeastern region . The racial makeup of the city in 2022 was 46.6% Pardo ( Multiracial ), 43.2% White , 9.8% Black , 0.2% Asian and 0.2% Amerindian . With its dozens of sandy, white beaches, such as Ponta Negra and its famous Morro do Careca - the cliff of dolphins, Pirangi do Norte , Redinha , Pipa and Genipabu with its famous fixed sand dunes and imported dromedaries , tourism

6720-686: The culture of the city. The city also held the Potenji Conference , which took place right after the Casablanca Conference and defined the active participation of Brazil in the war , being the only Latin American country to send troops overseas to fight in Europe. Natal is located at 5°46′S 35°12′W  /  5.767°S 35.200°W  / -5.767; -35.200 , in the far east of South America. The city has

6825-455: The degree of risk, it is recommended, however, are chosen accredited professionals responsible for security not only of tourists, but the middle - environment. Ponta Negra is a famous beach and a neighborhood located in the Brazilian city of Natal in the state of Rio Grande do Norte. In the extreme south of the beach, is located in Morro do Careca (Bald Hill), a large dune. The extreme north of

6930-572: The discoveries and enhancing the reputation of Vespucci as an explorer and navigator. Vespucci claimed to have understood in 1501 that Brazil was part of a fourth continent unknown to Europeans, which he called the " New World ". The claim inspired cartographer Martin Waldseemüller to recognize Vespucci's accomplishments in 1507 by applying the Latinized form "America" to a map showing the New World. Other cartographers followed suit, securing

7035-433: The districts of Ribeira and Cidade Alta , which are the oldest neighborhoods of the city, which have characteristics of the first centuries of the history of Brazil, highlighting important aspects of Portuguese colonization. The Barreira do Inferno Launch Center is the first base to launch rockets from Brazil. With the construction of another center in Brazil, today, it only launches rockets, small and medium businesses and

7140-580: The exhibit, the aquarium also serves as a surgery center for sea animals. The Aquarium is located between the Oceânica Avenue and the beach. The Aquarium exhibits about 60 marine species. There are about 30 small aquariums, where the species are put individually or in small groups of two or three species. Most species were collected at the Brazilian and Rio Grande do Norte coast. Species include several kinds of fish (including piranhas), sea horses , shrimps , lobsters , stingrays , octopus , etc. In

7245-550: The extent of this new discovery and determine where it lay in relation to the line established by the Treaty of Tordesillas . Any land that lay to the east of the line could be claimed by Portugal. Vespucci's reputation as an explorer and presumed navigator had already reached Portugal, and he was hired by the king to serve as pilot under the command of Gonçalo Coelho . Coelho's fleet of three ships left Lisbon in May 1501. Before crossing

7350-497: The firm. Afterwards he was left owing 140,000 maravedis . He continued to provision ships bound for the West Indies, but his opportunities were diminishing; Columbus's expeditions were not providing the hoped-for profits, and his patron, Lorenzo di Pierfrancesco Medici, was using other Florentine agents for his business in Seville. Sometime after he settled in Seville, Vespucci married a Spanish woman, Maria Cerezo. Very little

7455-462: The first voyage was probably another version of the second; the third is unassailable, and the fourth is probably true. Vespucci's historical importance may rest more with his letters (whether or not he wrote them all) than his discoveries. Burckhardt cites the naming of America after him as an example of the immense role of the Italian literature of the time in determining historical memory. Within

7560-461: The fleet, at the expense and by the command of the most serene King of Portugal, and which can properly be called a " New World ", since our forebears had absolutely no knowledge of it, nor do any of those who are hearing about it today...On 7 August 1501, we dropped our anchor off the shores of that new land, thanking God with solemn prayers and the celebration of the Mass. Once there, we determined that

7665-476: The fort "Fort Ceulen" after one of their commanders. The sandy soil of Natal prevented the city from becoming a producer of sugarcane during the colonial times. For centuries, the economy of the state was based on the raising of cattle in the dry interior lands. Cattle were sent alive to the larger centers, to be used as traction, or were turned into jerked beef, for food; the most typical food of Natal, " carne de sol " (sun meat), has origins in that jerked beef. In

7770-482: The historical record. Two others have been alleged but the evidence is more problematic. Traditionally, Vespucci's voyages are referred to as the "first" through "fourth", even by historians who dismiss one or more of the trips. A letter, addressed to Florentine official Piero Soderini , dated 1504 and published the following year, purports to be an account by Vespucci of a voyage to the New World, departing from Spain on 10 May 1497, and returning on 15 October 1498. This

7875-454: The last century, Natal benefited from the growth of the salt industries (the north of Rio Grande do Norte is the largest producer in Brazil) and petroleum (the largest inland Brazilian reserves are in the State). Natal grew quickly, but in a somewhat planned way (compared to other major Brazilian cities). Tourists (first Brazilians, more recently foreigners) discovered the city, which became one of

7980-473: The major tourist destinations in Brazil. Because of its strategic position (Natal is one of the cities in Brazil nearest to Western Europe and Africa, especially Dakar , Senegal), an American air base was built in a suburb of Natal named Parnamirim during World War II, as part of the so-called Operation Rainbow. This base provided support for allied troops fighting in north Africa. Thousands of American soldiers were sent to Natal. Their presence left traces in

8085-405: The master cartographer Gabriel de Vallseca . In 1488, Lorenzo di Pierfrancesco became dissatisfied with his Seville business agent, Tomasso Capponi. He dispatched Vespucci to investigate the situation and provide an assessment of a suggested replacement, Florentine merchant Gianotto Berardi. Vespucci's findings have been lost but Capponi returned to Florence around this time and Berardi took over

8190-527: The native population, the ninth Portuguese Governor-General of Brazil, Francisco de Sousa , ordered the expulsion of the buccaneers. The successful expedition against 50 Frenchmen and their Amerindian allies was led by the Captain-Major of the Captaincy of Pernambuco , Manuel de Mascarenhas Homem, with the assistance of Jerônimo de Albuquerque Maranhão. Albuquerque Maranhão began on January 6, 1598,

8295-555: The new land was not an island but a continent... Vespucci's voyages became widely known in Europe after two accounts attributed to him were published between 1503 and 1505. The Soderini letter (1505) came to the attention of a group of humanist scholars studying geography in Saint-Dié , a small French town in the Duchy of Lorraine . Led by Walter Lud, the academy included Matthias Ringmann and Martin Waldseemüller . In 1506, they obtained

8400-574: The north of Natal and the closest point to Europe from Latin America, was first visited by European navigators in 1501, as part of the 1501–1502 Portuguese expedition led by Amerigo Vespucci . Vespucci renamed the area after the saint of the day, Cape São Roque ; the prior indigenous name is unknown. For decades thereafter, no permanent European settlement was established in the area. In 1597, after some years during which French pirates, led by Jacques Riffault, established regular commercial activities with

8505-430: The ocean. February is the warmest month, with mean maximum of 30.7 °C or 87.3 °F and minimum of 24.6 °C or 76.3 °F, while July is the coolest with mean maximum of 28.4 °C or 83.1 °F and minimum of 21 °C or 69.8 °F. Rainfall is heavy at around 1,690 millimetres (67 in) per year, but there is a dry season between about September and January that is more distinct than further south on

8610-485: The official high school curriculum. There are more than 14 universities in whole state of Rio Grande do Norte. The Natal Dunes State Park is considered the second largest urban park in Brazil . It includes 1,172 hectares of land, and allows observation of several vegetal and animal species, which are typical of the Atlantic Forest . The tour is along a trail, accompanied by trained guides. The park also has

8715-750: The other pair headed south with Vespucci aboard. The only record of the southbound journey comes from Vespucci himself. He assumed they were on the coast of Asia and hoped by heading south they would, according to the Greek geographer Ptolemy , round the unidentified "Cape of Cattigara " and reach the Indian Ocean . They passed two huge rivers (the Amazon and the Para ) which poured freshwater 25 miles (40 km) out to sea. They continued south for another 40 leagues (about 240 km or 150 mi) before encountering

8820-479: The ports of Vigo , Rotterdam and Sheerness . North Zone East Zone Amerigo Vespucci Amerigo Vespucci ( / v ɛ ˈ s p uː tʃ i / vesp- OO -chee , Italian: [ameˈriːɡo veˈsputtʃi] ; 9 March 1454 – 22 February 1512) was an Italian explorer and navigator from the Republic of Florence for whom " America " is named. Vespucci participated in at least two voyages of

8925-473: The sea is the most crystalline and suitable for diving. The beach of Maracajaú is 60 km (37 mi) from Natal. In Maracajaú also a water park, the Ma-Noa Park. Genipabu (or Jenipabu) is a beach, a complex of dunes, a lagoon and an area of environmental protection (APA) located in Natal capital city, one of the most famous post-cards of the Brazilian state Rio Grande do Norte. It is a huge dunes and

9030-464: The streets around the Arena das Dunas Stadium (traffic around the stadium changes radically during Carnatal days). The transit department isolates about 3 kilometres (2 miles) of streets, creating a ring, along which the party takes place. During the days of party, a huge truck (called " trio elétrico "), with a band on the top and sound boxes all around, drives slowly along the streets. The crowd follows

9135-421: The streets. Typical foods and beverages are served. As during Carnival, these festivities involve wearing costumes (in this case, peasant costumes), dancing, heavy drinking, and visual spectacles (fireworks display and folk dancing). Similar to what happens on Midsummer and St John's Day in Europe, bonfires are a central part of these festivities in Brazil. Festa Junina in other cities of the state, especially in

9240-579: The term in "A New Map of the World" from 1703. Decades after the terms Ethiopian Ocean or Ethiopian Sea had fallen into disuse to refer to the Southern Atlantic Ocean, botanist William Albert Setchell (1864–1943) used the term for the sea around certain islands close to Antarctica . Natal, Rio Grande do Norte Natal ( Brazilian Portuguese: [naˈtaw] , literally Christmas or natal (something related to "birth"))

9345-421: The tradition of marking the name "America" on maps of the newly discovered continents. It is unknown whether Vespucci was ever aware of these honours. In 1505, he was made a subject of Castile by royal decree, and he was appointed to the position of piloto mayor (master navigator) for Spain's Casa de Contratación (House of Trade) in Seville in 1508, a post which he held until his death in 1512. Vespucci

9450-484: The trio elétrico singing, dancing, jumping to the sound of the music. Natal is also home to the "Mada", a national festival of pop rock national, and the "Verão de Todos", a summer festival. The patron saint of the city is Our Lady of Presentation . Located virtually at sea level (169 feet), with favorable weather and geographic conditions, Greater Natal International Airport in São Gonçalo do Amarante

9555-543: The university, he remained in Florence and was tutored by his uncle, Giorgio Antonio Vespucci, a Dominican friar in the monastery of San Marco . Fortunately for Amerigo, his uncle was one of the most celebrated humanist scholars in Florence at the time and provided him with a broad education in literature, philosophy, rhetoric, and Latin. He was also introduced to geography and astronomy, subjects that played an essential part in his career. Amerigo's later writings demonstrated

9660-436: The view held by our ancients, inasmuch as most of them hold that there is no continent to the south beyond the equator, but only the sea which they named the Atlantic and if some of them did aver that a continent there was, they denied with abundant argument that it was a habitable land. But that this their opinion is false and utterly opposed to the truth...my last voyage has made manifest; for in those southern parts I have found

9765-519: The water at 26 °C (79 °F). According to the IBGE of 2022, there were 751,300 people residing in the city, and 1,52 million people residing in the Greater Natal (metropolitan area). This is the second smallest capital the country in territorial extension, therefore, the population density is high, 4,488 inhabitants per square kilometre (11,620/sq mi). It is the 21st-largest city in

9870-641: The way they had business in Bologna, Milan, and Lyon. Their objective in Paris was to obtain French support for Florence's war with Naples. Louis XI was noncommittal and the diplomatic mission returned to Florence in 1481 with little to show for their efforts. After his return from Paris, Amerigo worked for a time with his father and continued his studies in science. In 1482, when his father died, Amerigo went to work for Lorenzo di Pierfrancesco de' Medici , head of

9975-539: The world map were printed with the title Universal Geography According to the Tradition of Ptolemy and the Contributions of Amerigo Vespucci and Others . It was decorated with prominent portraits of Ptolemy and Vespucci and, for the first time, the name America was applied to a map of the New World. The Introduction and map were a great success and four editions were printed in the first year alone. The map

10080-490: The year. Differently from what happens on the European Midsummer Day, the festivities in Brazil do not take place during the summer solstice but during the tropical winter solstice . The festivities traditionally begin after the 12th of June, on the eve of St Anthony's day, and last until the 29th, which is Saint Peter's day. During these fifteen days, there are bonfires , fireworks , and folk dancing in

10185-465: Was a liar and stole the credit that was due Columbus. By 1600, most regarded Vespucci as an impostor and not worthy of his honours and fame. In 1839, Alexander von Humboldt after careful consideration asserted the 1497 voyage was impossible but accepted the two Portuguese-sponsored voyages. Humboldt also called into question the assertion that Vespucci recognized that he had encountered a new continent. According to Humboldt, Vespucci (and Columbus) died in

10290-678: Was born on 9 March 1454 in Florence , a wealthy Italian city-state and a center of Renaissance art and learning, in the suburb of Peretola . Amerigo Vespucci was the third son of Nastagio Vespucci, a Florentine notary for the Money-Changers Guild, and Lisa di Giovanni Mini. The family resided in the District of Santa Lucia d'Ognissanti along with other families of the Vespucci clan. Earlier generations of Vespucci had funded

10395-410: Was his role on the voyages and what did he learn? The evidence relies almost entirely on a handful of letters attributed to him. Many historians have analysed these documents and have arrived at contradictory conclusions. In 1515, Sebastian Cabot became one of the first to question Vespucci's accomplishments and express doubts about his 1497 voyage. Later, Bartolomé de las Casas argued that Vespucci

10500-675: Was not even the author of the Soderini letter. Knowledge of Vespucci's voyages relies almost entirely on a handful of letters written by him or attributed to him. Two of these letters were published during his lifetime and received widespread attention throughout Europe. Several scholars now believe that Vespucci did not write the two published letters in the form in which they circulated during his lifetime. They suggest that they were fabrications based in part on genuine Vespucci letters. The remaining documents were unpublished manuscripts; handwritten letters uncovered by researchers more than 250 years after Vespucci's death. After years of controversy,

10605-572: Was related to the fact that, historically, Africa west and south of Egypt was known as Aethiopia . Nowadays the classical use of the term has become obsolete. Also the nation of Ethiopia , then known as Abyssinia, is located nowhere near its namesake body of water but in the opposite eastern end of Africa which is much closer to the Indian Ocean and its subset the Red Sea . Ancient Greek historians Diodorus and Palaephatus mentioned that

10710-580: Was responsible for ensuring that ships' pilots were adequately trained and licensed before sailing to the New World. He was also charged with compiling a "model map", the Padrón Real , based on input from pilots who were obligated to share what they learned after each voyage. Vespucci wrote his will in April 1511. He left most of his modest estate, including five household slaves, to his wife. His clothes, books, and navigational equipment were left to his nephew Giovanni Vespucci. He requested to be buried in

10815-450: Was to explore the coast of a new landmass found by Columbus on his third voyage and in particular investigate a rich source of pearls that Columbus had reported. Vespucci and his backers financed two of the four ships in the small fleet. His role on the voyage is not clear. Writing later about his experience, Vespucci gave the impression that he had a leadership role, but that is unlikely, due to his inexperience. Instead, he may have served as

10920-451: Was widely used in universities and was influential among cartographers who admired the craftsmanship that went into its creation. In the following years, other maps were printed that often incorporated the name America. In 1538, Gerardus Mercator used America to name both the North and South continents on his influential map. By this point the tradition of marking the name "America" on maps of

11025-510: Was written in Latin and included a Latin translation of the Soderini letter. In a preface to the Letter , Ringmann wrote I see no reason why anyone could properly disapprove of a name derived from that of Amerigo, the discoverer, a man of sagacious genius. A suitable form would be Amerige, meaning Land of Amerigo, or America, since Europe and Asia have received women's names. A thousand copies of

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