# The Fourth Part of the World: The Race to the Ends of the Earth and the Epic Story of the Map That Gave America Its Name

In 1507 Martin Waldessmuller created a map that depicted what was then known as "the fourth part of the world"; the other three parts being Asia, Europe and Africa. One thousand copies were printed but only one remains, discovered by accident in the library of a German castle in 1901. One hundred two years later, the Library of Congress purchased it for $10 million - an unprecedented sum. When Toby Lester heard about the map, he set out on a journey to tell the story of how the map was created and eventually came to the Library of Congress. The result is "The Fourth Part of the World: The Race to the Ends of the Earth and the Epic Story of the Map That Gave America Its Name" (Free Press 2009).

- Kind: Talk
- Year: 2009
- By: Library Of Congress. Center For The Book
- Genres: History
- Archive: [Library of Congress](https://www.loc.gov/item/2021688345/)
- Licence or status: Rights statement at the Library of Congress (as the archive states it)
- Credit: Library of Congress
- Who can watch: Tweens profiles and older (the archive gives no rating; placed by Invisible Network from its collection and subjects)

[Watch now](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/watch/archive/loc/2021688345?play=1)