for: Washington Irving, book - the History of New York, book - A History of the Life and Voyages of Christopher Columbus

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• Irving was a American writer who wrote fiction for the intent of stoking nationalism. He bent the truth in many ways.
• Among his most famous and impactful historical lies that Irving fabricated in his book on Columbus was that prior to Columbus, the majority of educated people thought the earth was flat. In fact, most educated people believed the earth to be round during the time of Columbus.

interesting fact: knickerbocker

• The term knickerbocker originated in the pseudonym Diedrich Knickerbocker that Irving chose for his book "A History of New York"