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Brazil and Privatization Essay

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Brazil and Privatization The earliest inhabitants of Brazil were the Indians. However, the country’s recorded history begins with the arrival of the Portuguese in 1500. The Portuguese sailor Pedro Alvares Cabral visited the continent we call South America, eight years after Columbus arrived in America. Portuguese settlers followed, calling the new colony Brazil, after the brazilwood tree that they extracted red dye from. The Portuguese did not bring prosperity and progress to the Indians. Instead, they unintentionally infected and killed thousands of Indians with diseases such as measles and smallpox. The growing number of settlers spurred the exploration of Brazil. Frontiersmen called …show more content…

Their most famous sculptor is also one of the world’s most remarkable artists, Antonio Francisco Lisboa. He became known as Aleijadinho, the little cripple, when a disease paralyzed his hands. He tied a hammer and a chisel to his wrists and continued to work. Brazilians also love sports. There is 8,000 sports clubs all over the country. They enjoy water sports, basketball, volleyball, tennis, and boxing. But none of these sports rivals their all time favorite, soccer. Brazilian’s call it futebol. Scoring a goal in the world’s soccer championship is the dream of every Brazilian boy.
Language
Brazil’s national language is Portuguese. Like the United States’ English differs from England, Brazil also developed a character of its own. The difference is mostly from the influence of Brazil’s Indians. Other influences are attributed to the African heritage and German, Italian and Spanish immigrants. Their alphabet has three fewer letters than English, missing “k”, “w”, and “y.”
Political Makeup During Brazil’s 20 years of military rule, the army had almost complete control and congress had little power. Since 1985 the government has been in the hands of civilians. Brazil is a federal republic under the leadership of a president whose powers are similar to those of the president of the United States. A vice-president and the cabinet consisting of state ministers support the president. The government is divided into

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