Portugal<, also known as the Portuguese Empire, was the world’s first global empire in history. It began with the capture of Ceuta from the Arabs in 1415, though the famous sailors and explorers from the country truly made Portugal the major power at its time. They explored the coast of Africa in 1419, using technological advances in navigation, cartography, and maritime technology, such as the caravel. This allowed the Portuguese to establish a sea route to access the rich spices from Asia. In 1488, Bartolomeu Dias rounded the Cape of Good Hope, while Vasco da Gama reached India in 1498. In 1500, Pedro Alvares Cabral discovered the coast of what is now Brazil, who later established what would become Brazil’s most powerful colony. Following the decades, Portuguese sailors and explorers con