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MPBR Radio Station

BP Self-Assessment Test

BP Self-Assessment Test for the Visually Impaired

BP Entrance Test

BP Computerized Adaptive Test

BP Exit Test

This Week in Brazil's History and Culture: Full List of Events

Slide Show - Join us in this unforgettable trip around Brazil with its geography and its people.

Links - a large collection of Brazilian links

Portuguese Textbooks - for students of all language levels
This Week in Brazil's History - April

 

April 1st is 'Dia da Mentira' (Lie Day) and is the Brazilian version of April Fools’ Day.

Fortaleza is the capital of the state of Ceará and is Brazil’s fifth largest city. It was founded on April 12th, 1726.

April 19th celebrates the Brazilian Indian and their contribution to the national culture. Brazil’s indigenous population was reduced from about 10 million in the 1500s to about 200,000 today. Their legacy, however, remains in the culture of Brazil, from food to language.

April 21st is a national holiday celebrating Tiradentes, the leader of a strong movement calling for independence from Portugal. He was executed by Portuguese officers on April 21st, 1792. Brazil became an independent republic thirty years later.

On April 22nd, Portuguese navigator Pedro Alvares Cabral landed on the eastern coast of what is now Brazil. He named the land Terra da Vera Cruz (land of the true cross). The name Brasil comes from the pau brasil tree that explorers took back to Europe.

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Summer Language Institute in Vitoria, Brazil© 2003 Antônio R. M. Simões
Last updated: July 7th, 2003
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