A Short History of BrazilThe recorded history of Brazil is brief when compared to most European countries, having been discovered by Portuguese sailor and explorer Pedro lvares Cabral just over five hundred years ago. Since then, however, its history has been turbulent, blighted by rebellion, cruelty, dictatorship and poverty. But, it is also a vibrant, exciting and ethnically diverse nation that has, in the face of great adversity, emerged as one of the world's fastest