A Brief History of Brazil

The first indigenous people arrived in Brazil over 8.000 years ago but little is known about these “Indians” as they are called.

Brazil was discovered by the Portuguese Pedro Alvares Cabral in 1500 and was soon colonised by the Portugues who found the land and climatic conditions favourable. Indians and later Africans were forced into slavery and made to work in the plantations and mines until Portuguese Prince Pedro gave the battle cry for independence in 1822. Weakened by its recent war with France, Portugal gave in and a bloodless revolution won Brazil its independence. Brazil was a monarchy for some time before being declared a republic.

In the last century, Brazil witnessed a number of military coups. In November 1989, Brazilians had their first opportunity to elect a president by popular vote in almost 30 years, and chose ex-karate champion Fernando Collor de Mello, over the socialist Luíz Inácio 'Lula' da Silva by a narrow but secure majority.