Europeans in the 16th century divided the world into four continents: Africa, America, Asia and Europe. Each of the four continents was seen to represent its quadrant of the world—Europe in the north, Asia in the east, Africa in the south, and America in the west. This division fit the Renaissance sensibilities of the time, which also divided the world into four seasons, four classical elements, four cardinal directions, four classical virtues, etc.
The four corners of the world refers to the America (the "west"), Europe (the "north"), Asia (the "east"), and Africa (the "south").
Read more about Four Continents: A Three-cornered World, A Fourth Corner: The Enlarged World
Famous quotes containing the word continents:
“Nay, be a Columbus to whole new continents and worlds within you, opening new channels, not of trade, but of thought.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)