Hi, Ima studen and I really need to know this?
2007-03-22 02:31:42 · 2 answers · asked by histerickat 2 in Travel ➔ Latin America ➔ Other - Latin America
Brazil was first discovered by a portuguese navigator in 1500 (oficially). The portuguese first call it as ILHA (Island) then Terra (Land) of Santa Cruz.
They came to the new continent to catch goods (gold, silver, dyamonds, slaves, timber), to kill natives, to let prisioners etc.
There was a tree (Pau Brasil) - the trunk of the tree was red and they discovered how to get this pigment (at this time the clothes of nobles became red in europe).
This red timber was like a coal flaming - in portuguese = brasa. Then the name cames from the tree (brasa - brasil).
Colombia comes from Cristovão Colombo (Colon), the America discoverer in 1492.
2007-03-22 23:56:28 · answer #1 · answered by Apolo 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Colombia is named that after Christopher Columbus (Cristobal Colon in spanish).
brazil apparently gets its name from a tree that grows there, pau-brasil, which is a tree the amerindians used.
2007-03-22 03:49:40 · answer #2 · answered by Preciosa 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋