Date Due ______________
Name _______________________
Period _____________
Score___________/125
Brazil Incomplete Notes
Geography
Directions: Fill in the blanks below as the answers are given in class and from Chapter 10 (pages 236-39) in
your textbook. If you are absent, it is your responsibility to get the answers from the textbook. Each correct
blank is worth 2 points.
Next, answer the questions with the best possible answers. Write your answer in complete sentences
and explain clearly. Each correct answer is worth 2 points, unless otherwise noted. You may use another piece
of paper if you need to
Finally, complete the 10 vocabulary words at the end of the notes. Each correct definition is worth
one point. Do your own work and do your best.
Incomplete Notes (90 points)
In 1807, Napoleon’s armies invaded ______________________. As the French army approached
the capital of __________________, the Portuguese royal family boarded ships to escape capture.
They sailed to Brazil, Portugal’s largest ________________, taking their court and royal treasure
with them. For the next 14 years, _____________________ was the heart of the Portuguese
empire while the Brazilians developed a sense of their own _______________________.
____________________ plays an important role in the colonization of South America by Spain
and _________________. In 1494, in the Treaty of ______________________, the two
European powers reached an agreement to _______________ South America and Portugal took
control of the land that became present-day Brazil. Today Brazil is the ___________________
country in South America.
A National Culture
Brazil was originally home to native peoples divided into hundreds of tribes and
_________________ groups of between _______________________ people when the first
colonists arrived. The first Portuguese colonists hoped to find gold or silver but were disappointed
to find none. Instead they cleared huge areas of ___________________ where they created
_______________ plantations. These plantations soon became a great source of wealth for
Portugal.
Settlements grew up along the ________________ rather than the _________________ where
rain forests made farming difficult. The Portuguese also conquered the native tribes and put them to
work on the plantations. When the natives died from ___________________, the Portuguese
brought African slaves to Brazil. Today millions of Brazilians are of mixed __________________,
Africa and native ancestry.
Brazil was a Portuguese colony from 1500 until independence in ______________. After
Napoleon’s defeat in 1815, many people in Brazil demanded independence. Finally thousands of
them signed petitions asking ________________________, the son of Portugal’s king, to rule
Brazil as an independent country. He agreed, and in ________________ of 1822, he declared
Brazil’s independence from Portugal.
The culture of Brazil includes Portuguese influences, Nation American elements and
__________________ influences. But Brazil has had more success in blending its ethnic groups.
When the first Europeans arrived, millions of native people lived in the rain forests, but today, only
about _________________ live in the depths of the ___________________ rain forest. The
capital of Brasilia, however, was built in the interior to draw people there. The government moved to
the new capital in ___________ to signal the opening of the country’s west.
Brazil has become home to many immigrants from other nations as well. Large numbers of people
from Portugal, _________________, _______________ and Spain have settled there, as well as
Syria and Lebanon. Outside of Japan, Brazil has the largest Japanese population.
The Portuguese brought their language and _____________________ religion with them to Brazil.
Today, Brazil has the largest Catholic population in the world although Protestants still make up
almost _____________ of the population. Other peoples practice religions that combine African
beliefs with Catholicism.
An Economic Giant Awakens
Brazil is a growing economic power based on its vast area, national resources and people. Its
economy is the tenth largest in the world and its diverse population of about _______________
million people contributes to its economic strength.
Brazil has deposits of iron and bauxite, as well as other minerals used in manufacturing.
_____________ and manganese reserves are abundant as well as gold, silver, titanium, chromite,
tungsten and quartz. More than a thousand rivers, including the __________________, flow
through Brazil. Power plants located along the rivers produce electricity. In addition, larges reserves
of ___________ and natural gas contribute to its industrial might.
Brazil is one of the most industrialized South American countries, and is a leading maker of
___________________. Over half of its cars use ethanol, a fuel that comes from sugar cane and is
less expensive than imported oil. Despite its economic successes, Brazil remains a country with a
large gap between rich and poor. In 1960, about 22% of the population lived in the cities; by 1995,
over _____________ of the people lived in cities. Many Brazilians are moving to the cities to find
jobs and improve their lives.
There has also been a move into the interior. About ____________ of the people live within 200
miles of the sea but the government is encouraging the settlement of the interior. Commercial
_____________________ is an important of the economy and many Brazilians are willing to move
to the interior to improve their economic situation.
Brazilian Life Today
Brazil is a country of great variety in city life, music and holidays. The most colourful feast day in
Brazil is ____________________. In Rio de Janeiro, people in costumes ride on floats through
the streets while listening to the music of the _______________, a Brazilian dance with African
influences.
____________________ is a martial art and dance that developed in Brazil from African origins,
specifically from ______________________.
Brasilia is the political capital of Brazil and ______________________ is its economic heart and
largest city. Rio de Janeiro is the cultural center of the country and the residents of Rio are among
the country’s leaders in cultural activities and institutions. The natural setting of Rio is one of the
most spectacular with sights that include ______________________________, Guanabara Bay
and Copacabana Beach. Desperately poor slums, however, called favelas, dot the hillsides. Crime
waves and _______________________ are two results of the poverty, although recently
government officials have launched programs to bring in electrical power,
__________________________ and sewers.
Vocabulary: 7 points
1. Treaty of Tordesillas
2. carnival
3. samba
4. capoeira
5. Dom Pedro
6. cerrado
7. favelas
Questions: 28 points
1. What resource was Portugal’s source of wealth in Brazil? Explain completely.
2. Why did the patterns of settlement occur along the coast? Explain completely.
3. What three influences have shaped the culture of Brazil? Explain completely. (4 points)
4. What are the primary language and religion of Brazil? Explain completely. (3 points)
5. What has made Brazil an industrial power? Give 2 examples. (3 points)
6. How do Brazil’s rivers contribute to its wealth? Explain completely.
7. What are some aspects of Brazilian culture that show an African influence? Give 2 examples. (3
points)
8. Which city is the cultural center of Brazil? Explain completely.
9. What is the ethnic makeup of Brazil? Name at least 3 countries, not including Portugal that
contribute. (4 points)
10. Using the map on page 238, name 2 majour resources found near Salvador, Brazil. (3 points)