Why Did Atlas Have To Carry The World On His Shoulders?

Wrong! Sorry, it wasn't the Earth but the heavens. In mythology, after the Titans revolted against the Olympians, the father of the gods, Zeus, handed out this little chore to Atlas. He is often shown holding something that looks like the Earth across his shoulders. You can see this on the cover of a collection of Flemish maps by Mercator. Close inspection reveals that this is intended to signify the heavens and not the Earth.

Mercator named his book of maps not after the Titan Atlas, but after the mythological philosopher King Atlas of Mauritania who also gave his name to the mountain range. He was supposed to have produced the first celestial, as opposed to terrestrial globe. Mercator's book of maps came to be known as Mercator's Atlas and the term was applied to all books of maps ever since. Gerard Mercator was the son of a cobbler. He was born Gerard Kremer in 1512. His surname meant 'market' in Flemish so he latinised it to Mercator or 'marketeer'.

Because atlas lead the titans against zeus, so that was his punishment!