The Treaty That Shaped Brazil's Language
Subject: A question for my favorite pen pal! To: Camila From: Leo
Hi Camila,
I hope you are having a great week! In my social studies class today, we looked at a map of South America. My teacher pointed out that almost every country around you speaks Spanish, but Brazil speaks Portuguese.
Why is that? Did Spanish explorers just miss Brazil, or is there a cooler story behind it? I can't wait to hear from you!
Your friend, Leo
Subject: Re: A question for my favorite pen pal! To: Leo From: Camila
Hi Leo,
That is actually a super cool question, and there is a major historical reason for it! It all comes down to a very old agreement called the Treaty of Tordesillas.
Back in the late 1400s, both Spain and Portugal were powerful countries with adventurous sailors. Both nations wanted to explore and claim new lands. To prevent them from fighting over the same territories, they decided to divide the world. In 1494, they signed a treaty, which is an official agreement between countries.
This treaty drew an imaginary line right through the Atlantic Ocean. Spain got the rights to claim all the new land to the west of the line, and Portugal got all the land to the east. At the time, they did not even know how huge South America actually was!
When Portuguese explorers sailed across the ocean in the year 1500, they landed on the eastern coast of South America. Because this land was on the eastern side of the treaty line, it belonged to Portugal. That land eventually became Brazil! Portuguese settlers moved there, bringing their culture, customs, and language with them.
Meanwhile, Spain colonized the lands to the west of the line, which is why your neighbors in countries like Argentina, Colombia, and Peru speak Spanish today.
I hope this helps with your geography class! Let me know what else you are learning about.
Your friend, Camila
Listen to The Treaty That Shaped Brazil's Language
PicoBuddy read-aloud story
- Treaty:
- An official, written agreement made between different countries.
- Colonize:
- To send people to a new land to settle there and establish political control.
- Customs:
- The traditional habits, beliefs, or behaviors of a specific group of people.
- Pen Pal:
- A friend with whom you regularly write and exchange letters or emails.
You Might Also Like
About this letter / email passage for Upper Elementary
“The Treaty That Shaped Brazil's Language” is a letter / email reading passage about Why Portuguese is spoken in Brazil, written for Upper Elementary. It takes about 2 minutes to read (325 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.