When it comes down to it Brazil is a product of Portugal. Its language and culture are the bi-products of the explorers from Portugal; in fact, it is the only Latin Country to be able to claim that. History reports that an Admiral Pedro Alvares Cabral laid claimed to Brazil for Portugal in the early 1500’s and to date no one disputes that despite the fact that the early residents were said to have been the Tupí-Guaraní Indians.
In the early days explorers were enamored with a wood that produced a red dye called pau-brasi, they were intrigued by what it could be used for. Brail became a royal colony in 1549 and since then the immigrants have poured in like moths to a flame. In the Napoleonic Wars, King João VI took off in fear for his life and created his home base in Rio de Janeiro and in 1822 Brazil’s independence was declared and Joao became Pedro I, the first ruler of Brazil. After Pedro 1 came Pedro II in the form of a five year old boy. He ruled 40 years until 1889 when he gave up the throne due to a military revolt. Since then Brazil has been ruled by military dictatorships and civilian presidents, depending on the times.
During World War I Brazil jumped into the fray that was the war by siding with the Allies. Then President Wenceslau Braz declared war on Germany and fought alongside the other Allies. World War II saw Brazil once more working with the Allies allowing air bases in Brazil and joining in on invasion of Italy. Although today the Brazilians do not consider themselves a warring nation, they do recognize their military strides in the past and have even had to deal with a few military coups of their own in 1964. Tancredo Neves became their first civilian president in 1985. A civilian president remains today.
Although Brazil has had a torrid pass filled with those who would rule the country they have managed to hold on to their identity. Today Brazil is a diverse cultural melting pot. No matter what comes in, however, their Portuguese roots shine through. Marching to the drum of tourism Brazil now opens its doors wide to welcome the rest of the world in for some good food and a good time proving that this is a nation fluid in its growth and able to overcome its past strife to become the iconic country today that every world traveler wants to get a visa to get into.