Did you know that the term 'America' comes from an Italian explorer? Amerigo Vespucci, born in 1451 in the Republic of Florence, joined Spanish and Portuguese voyages during the Age of Discovery between 1499 and 1502. His published accounts of these explorations were a hit across Europe, boosting his credentials as an explorer.

Vespucci claimed to realise that what we now call Brazil was part of a fourth continent unknown to Europeans at the time, dubbing it the New World. So, despite not being the first European to reach the Americas, they ended up named after him.

Given Christopher Columbus's controversial legacy, perhaps we should be thankful the continents don't bear his name. Though let's be real, Columbus wasn't exactly first either.