Pedro Álvares Cabral, a Portuguese navigator, is indeed credited with the discovery of Brazil. However, the date commonly associated with this event is April 22, 1500. On that day, Cabral's fleet, en route to India, made landfall on the coast of what is now Brazil. This accidental discovery marked the beginning of Portugal's colonization of Brazil.
Cabral's expedition was part of Portugal's efforts to establish trade routes to Asia by sailing around Africa. While Cabral initially intended to follow the path pioneered by Vasco da Gama, he veered off course due to navigational errors or possibly deliberate deviation. This deviation led his fleet to the eastern coast of South America, where they encountered Brazil.
Cabral's arrival in Brazil eventually led to Portuguese colonization and the establishment of a Portuguese colonial empire in South America. Today, April 22 is celebrated in Brazil as "Discovery Day" (Dia do Descobrimento do Brasil), commemorating Cabral's arrival and the beginning of Portuguese influence in the country.
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