Portuguese Exploration

In the early days of the European exploration of the Americas, there were conflicts between two European powers. Spain and Portugal disagreed about who should own the unexplored lands. In 1493, Pope Alexander VI tried to settle the conflict.

Pope Alexander VI drew an imaginary boundary line from north to south down a map. The line cut through the very eastern tip of Brazil. This line was a line of demarcation. The two counties agreed that Portugal would own all the land to the east of the line of demarcation. Spain would own all the land to the west of the line of demarcation.

The agreement for the Line of Demarcation was made in 1493 when the known world was very small. Columbus had just returned from his first voyage. Europeans had no idea of the size of Africa and Asia. The Americas would not be known as continents for quite some time. In 1494, Spain and Portugal signed the Treaty of Tordesillas and moved the line of demarcation more to the west.

In 1500 Pedro Cabral, a Portuguese explorer, accidentally sailed to Brazil with his fleet. Because of the Treaty of Tordesillas, Pedro Cabral was able to claim Brazil for Portugal. Portugal set up colonies in Brazil and farmed sugar cane, cotton and tobacco. Because of the Line of Demarcation, people in Brazil speak Portuguese.