The European discovery of Brazil is credited to Portuguese explorer Pedro Álvares Cabral. On April twenty-second, fifteen hundred, Cabral arrived on the coast of what is now Brazil during his voyage to India.
Cabral was commanding a large fleet of thirteen ships with approximately twelve hundred men. Their primary mission was to establish trade routes with India, following Vasco da Gama's successful voyage. The discovery of Brazil appears to have been accidental.
Cabral and his crew landed in what is now the state of Bahia, specifically in the area of Porto Seguro. They named the new land Terra da Vera Cruz, meaning Land of the True Cross, reflecting the strong Catholic influence of the Portuguese expedition.
It's important to remember that Brazil was not empty when Cabral arrived. Indigenous peoples had been living there for thousands of years. The estimated population was between two and six million people, organized into hundreds of different tribes. Cabral specifically encountered the Tupí people along the coast.
To summarize: Pedro Álvares Cabral is credited with the European discovery of Brazil on April twenty-second, fifteen hundred. This discovery was likely accidental during his voyage to India. However, Brazil was already home to millions of indigenous peoples. This event marked the beginning of Portuguese colonization and would shape Brazil's future for centuries to come.
Cabral was commanding a large fleet of thirteen ships with approximately twelve hundred men. Their primary mission was to establish trade routes with India, following Vasco da Gama's successful voyage. The discovery of Brazil appears to have been accidental.
Cabral and his crew landed in what is now the state of Bahia, specifically in the area of Porto Seguro. They named the new land Terra da Vera Cruz, meaning Land of the True Cross, reflecting the strong Catholic influence of the Portuguese expedition.
It's important to remember that Brazil was not empty when Cabral arrived. Indigenous peoples had been living there for thousands of years. The estimated population was between two and six million people, organized into hundreds of different tribes. Cabral specifically encountered the Tupí people along the coast.
To summarize: Pedro Álvares Cabral is credited with the European discovery of Brazil on April twenty-second, fifteen hundred. This discovery was likely accidental during his voyage to India. However, Brazil was already home to millions of indigenous peoples. This event marked the beginning of Portuguese colonization and would shape Brazil's future for centuries to come.