h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: Brazil - A689178
Author: Sciefyr - U189405

Hey, people!

This is my first entry for the Guide, and I'd like to know what you think of it. Is it too long? Too boring? Just right? (I wish.) Thanks!!

Hi, Sciefyr!

I'm sorry I didn't get around to reading this sooner, but with all the changeover to the new Peer Review system, things have been a bit confused. Even now, I haven't really time to read all this.

I think this is a great Entry. It is full of facts but written in a casual style, which I like. I think there would be no problem submitting this to Peer Review whenever you think it is ready - it is obviously Edited Guide material.

I heard that the Spanish and the Portuguese divided the world between them by a ruling of the Pope. All to the west of a particular line of longitude was Spanish and all to the East was Portuguese. It was intended that Spain would get the whole of South America and that Africa would go to Portugal. But the map-makers didn't realise that Brazil stuck out so far to the East, so the Portuguese ended up getting it too. I don't know whether this story is true, but you might like to look into it.

You mention Brazil as the only monarchy in the Americas. What about the Inca empire?

Thanksfor your comments, Gnomon! Regarding what you mentioned regarding the division of the world, that would be the papal bull Inter Coetera, which created a meridian I-forget-how-many-leagues-to-the-west-of-I-forget-where, but this bull was cavalierly ignored by both parties, who signed the Treaty of Tordesilhas, which allowed Portugual to have even more of Brazil. However, even Tordesilhas was scrapped, because colonizing the continent became largely a matter of "finders-keepers". Therefore, seeing as how both the papal bull and the Tordesilhas Treaty went more or less disregarded by everyone, I decided to keep it out and trim a few lines...

Regarding the Incas - good point. I meant it was the only monarchy in the European sense of the word, coming from an "appropriate" royal family, et al... I suppose I'd better make that clear....

hi,

I think this is a great entry, and almost ready for peer review. I would like some more ancient history of the place if possible though. Nice work fella!

Thanks for reading, Jenny... What do you mean by ancient history? The native Americans who lived there?