Britannica Student Encyclopedia - 2010

called tetrapods.

Limbs

include legs,

arms, wings,

and flippers.

The name of America appeared for the first

time on a map made in 1507. The map

showed the lands that Amerigo Vespucci

had visited in the New World.

72 Vertebrate BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

 

navigator, or the person who found the

way. He explored the northeastern coast

of South America and then returned to

Spain.

In 1501 Vespucci sailed again, this time

on a Portuguese ship. He explored the

southeastern coast of South America.

When he got back to Europe, Vespucci

wrote about his travels. Unlike Columbus,

he did not think he had been to

Asia. Instead he described the places he

had seen as a “NewWorld.”

A German mapmaker named Martin

Waldseemuller read Vespucci’s writings.

In 1507 Waldseemuller made a world

map and labeled South America as

“America.” (Vespucci’s first name was

also spelled Americus.) Later

mapmakers used “America” for North

America and Central America as well,

even though Vespucci had never been

to either place.

After he stopped traveling Vespucci went

to work for the Spanish government. He

helped to prepare the official map of

newly discovered lands and of the routes

to them. He died in 1512 in Spain.

..More to explore

Americas, Exploration and Settlement of

the • Columbus, Christopher

Vesuvius, Mount

Mount Vesuvius is an active volcano in

southern Italy. It is famous for an eruption

that happened in AD 79. Thousands

of people died when lava, ashes, and

mud buried the cities of Pompeii, Herculaneum,

and Stabiae. The cities were

forgotten until archaeologists began

digging up their ruins in the 1700s.

Mount Vesuvius towers over the ruins of the ancient city of Pompeii, in southern Italy. An

eruption of Vesuvius buried Pompeii in AD 79, but workers have uncovered much of the city.

BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Vesuvius, Mount 73

 

Mount Vesuvius stands about 4,200 feet

(1,280 meters) high, but its height

changes after each major eruption. A

high ridge known as Mount Somma

partly surrounds the main cone of Vesuvius.

The area between the ridge and the

cone is known as Valle del Gigante

(Giant’s Valley). At the top of the cone

is a large crater. It is about 1,000 feet

(300 meters) deep and 2,000 feet (600

meters) across.

Scientists believe that Mount Vesuvius

was formed about 200,000 years ago.

Vesuvius was inactive for hundreds of

years before the disaster of AD 79. Since

then the volcano has erupted many

times. An eruption in 1631 killed about

3,000 people. The last major eruption

occurred in 1944.

#More to explore

Italy • Pompeii • Volcano

Veterans Day

Every year on November 11, people in

the United States celebrate Veterans

Day. The holiday honors veterans, or

people who served in the U.S. military.

The day especially honors those veterans

who died while fighting in a war.

To celebrate Veterans Day, some cities

and towns have parades. Veterans from

the area may march in the parades.

Sometimes people visit cemeteries on

Veterans Day. People may put flowers or

flags on the graves of veterans to honor

them.

Before it got the name of Veterans Day,

November 11 was called Armistice Day.

November 11, 1918, was the day of the

armistice (agreement to stop fighting)

that endedWorldWar I.

The United States celebrated the first

Armistice Day in 1919. Armistice Day

became an official holiday in 1938. U.S.

forces later fought inWorldWar II

(1939–45) and the KoreanWar (1950–

53). In 1954 Armistice Day was

renamed Veterans Day to honor veterans

of all wars.

People in Australia, Canada, France, and

the United Kingdom also honor veterans

on a day in November. Canada and

In many

countries of

the world a

red flower

called a

poppy is a

symbol of the

veterans who

died in wars.

A veteran of World War II (1939–45)

wears his uniform and medals at a U.S.

Veterans Day ceremony.

74 Veterans Day BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

 

the United Kingdom call the holiday

Remembrance Day. On November 11,

people across Europe remember the end

ofWorldWar I.

#More to explore

War •WorldWar I

Veterinary

Medicine

Veterinarians, or veterinary surgeons, are

animal doctors. A veterinarian’s job is to

keep animals healthy and to treat them

when they get sick. This branch of

medicine is called veterinary medicine,

or veterinary science.

People go to school to become veterinarians.

They must earn a degree called a

doctor of veterinary medicine. This

takes at least four years. Veterinarians

can specialize in different areas. For

example, some only take care of pets.

Before they can treat animals, veterinarians

must pass a state test. They then

decide where they want to work. Many

veterinarians work in hospitals or clinics.

Others start their own business, or practice.

Many people think of veterinarians as

pet doctors. But veterinarians are also

very important to zoos and farms. Farmers

can go out of business if a disease

kills many of their animals. Veterinarians

try to keep the animals free from disease.

They also help the animals breed and

give birth. They do the same things for

zoo animals. This is especially important

since many endangered animals live in

zoos.

Not all veterinarians treat animals. Some