Cabral Reaches Brazil

What happened

In 1500, leading a large fleet bound for India, the Portuguese commander Pedro Álvares Cabral swung far to the west and made landfall on the coast of Brazil, claiming it for Portugal before continuing on to Asia.

Why it matters

Cabral's landing gave Portugal its foothold in South America and brought Brazil — today the largest country in the Americas — into the Portuguese world.

Sources

• The Mariners' Museum — Ages of Exploration. Pedro Álvares Cabral · Reputable source