Donald Trump decided that he would like to have Lake Ontario’s name changed to Lake America. Nice wish, but there’s a bit of a hickup to this happening: the Donald has as much of a right to effect the change as the Italians to changing “America” to be called “Vespucciland.
Allthough who knows?
After all, Amerigo Vespucci (1454-1512) was an Italian explorer-navigator and merchant. He partook in early voyages to the New World between 1499 and 1502 and was the sailor who convinced the so-called savants (scientists) of the 15th century that the massive piece of land lurking west of the group of islands that Christopher Columbus discovered in 1492 was indeed NOT Asia but a new Continent.
His reward: this new Continent became known as “America”.
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Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north, west, and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south and east by the U.S. state of New York.
For thousands of years before European arrival, the land that is now Ontario was home to Haudenosaunee, Anishinaabe, Huron‑Wendat, Cree, Algonquin, and other First Nations. The name Ontario comes from the Haudenosaunee word Ontarí:io, often translated as “great lake” or “beautiful water.”
The province was named for Lake Ontario when it was created in 1867 at Confederation. The lake’s name predates Canada, predates the United States, and predates European settlement entirely.
Hallo Mr. President: enough said!
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As for Amerigo Vespucci: the Italian Navy built and outfitted a fully rigged, three-masted sail tall ship at the Royal Shipyard of Castellammare di Stabia, that was launched on February 22, 1931 in honour of Amerigo Vespucci and is the oldest ship still in service with the Italian Navy and used to train sailors.
The ship visited Montreal’s Old Port in July and I went to see her there.
