22d April 1500 was opened Brazil

On the 22d of April, 1500 Pedro Cabral discovered Brazil and believed that it is an island.

After a successful journey of Vasco da Gama to India, King Manuel I sent Pedro Cabral in sail. On the 9th of March 1500 flotilla consisting of 13 ships and 1,200 sailors under the command of the Portuguese navigator Pedro Cabral sailed off from Lisbon. If we trace the route on the map, you will notice that the expedition went the same route as Vasco da Gamma in 1497 - 1498.

During the voyage from the Cape Verde Islands Cabral decides to turn to the southwest to avoid the region of calm in Guinea. On the 22d of March broke a storm, relatively strong current drifted ships to the west. A month later, the fleet landed on an unknown shore. The newly discovered land Cabral mistook for the island and named it Terra da Vera Cruz - Land of the True Cross. The modern map of South America shows that the landing of Portuguese was where now is the town of Porto Seguro (Bahia).

"The Island" was proclaimed the possession of Portugal. Cabral outfitted one of the ships commanded by Gaspar de Lemos to Lisbon with a message to the king, and himself went to India. During a long voyage ships repeatedly fell in the storm, which resulted in the loss of half the crew and ships. With the remains of the fleet Cabral came to the shores of Africa and landed not far from Mozambique, which he mapped and gave a detailed description. Then the sailors sailed to Calicut, where he signed trade agreements with the local princes. On the 31st of July, 1502 expedition with a rich cargo returned back to Lisbon.

In 1533 began the colonization of Brazil, where the coast was divided into 15 regions. Over the next 300 years, the area was inhabited by the Portuguese who export to Europe valuable wood, sugar cane, coffee and gold. As labor slaves were used: first, the Indians, and after - Africans.

In 1822 was proclaimed the independence of Brazil. In 1888 slavery was abolished, and a year later the country was declared a republic.