A Land Lost in Time, A Language Renewed
Despite being a tropical land so rich in natural resources that it is difficult to imagine ever wanting to leave, Portugal has a history of global exploration that has persisted over centuries. Following three centuries under the rule of Portugal, Brazil became an independent nation in 1822 and a republic in 1889.
Learn to speak Portugese at South Mountain Community College! Courses focus on vocabulary, grammar, and conversational skills, along with reading and writing skills and a study of Lusophone culture.
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POR101 Elementary Portuguese I
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POR102 Elementary Portuguese II
Fast Facts
- Portugal has a long association with Britain: in 1308 they signed the Treaty of Friendship; 1386 saw another Alliance and the 1654 Treaty of commercial cooperation was accompanied by British aid for independence from Spain.
- The Portuguese caravel, whose design enabled it to carry cargo and sail close to the wind made the great voyages of exploration possible.
- Prince Henry the Navigator set up a school at Sagres, where he gathered the finest cartographers, astronomers and navigators of the age. Magellan and Vasco da Gama were among the great explorers who studied there.
- Following three centuries under the rule of Portugal, Brazil became an independent nation in 1822 and a republic in 1889.
- By far the largest and most populous country in South America, Brazil overcame more than half a century of military intervention in the governance of the country when in 1985 the military regime peacefully ceded power to civilian rulers.
- Brazil continues to pursue industrial and agricultural growth and development of its interior.
- Exploiting vast natural resources and a large labor pool, Brazil is South America's leading economic power and a regional leader.
(Sources: World Info Zone, Brazil Travel Guide)