Memories of a World History class some thirty-odd years ago:

Spain and Portugal were at war with each other, and one of the issues was
colonization.  Seems to me that a settlement included an agreement that
spain would colonize all of the New World west of some predisgnated line of
latitude, and Portugal would receive any lands east of thea line.  Brazil is
the Easternmost portion of South America, and consequently became a colony
of Portugal, hence the national language.

Karl Wolz
-----Original Message-----
From: Joseph Seitz <jseitz@FACSTAFF.WISC.EDU>
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Date: Tuesday, March 16, 1999 10:47 AM
Subject: Re: VW of Brazil - Strange Van

>The portuguese colonized brazil and created a slave labor force which was
fed by
>the indigenous people as well as millions of people from the west coast of
>Africa.  This is why they speak portuguese.
>
>Joe
>
>Cory Sytsma wrote:
>
>> >In Brazil, they use Portuguese not Spanish.
>>
>> Um, what are they using these Portuguese for?    :^)
>>
>> I guessed they spoke Spanish, which most of South America speaks.
Obviously I
>> don't speak Portuguese either, so my ignorance precluded me from noticing
the
>> language difference.  I am sorry if I have offended anyone.