Exploring the Amazon River
Overview
Portuguese captain Pedro de Teixeira (1587-1641) led the first full-length upstream exploration of the Amazon River in 1637. Taking almost two years to complete, the expedition covered more than 3,500 land and nautical miles (5,633 km). Teixeira's voyage was the first to systematically document the Amazon from its silt-laden outlet in Belém, northern Brazil, to the headwaters of its source in the Andes Mountains. The expedition established Portuguese dominance in the vast Amazon basin area of South America, and brought knowledge of the river that Portuguese explorers called the "Rio Mar," or river sea, to the world. Political impact of the expedition reached across Western Europe, Brazil, and the vast sought-after lands and riches of South America. The human impact of Teixeira's expedition included comprised both the Portuguese royalty (and, ultimately their subjects), as well as the indigenous peoples of South America and Africa.
Background
Portugal was slow to enter the race for exploration of the New World, as most Portuguese assets were committed to solidifying and maintaining Portugal's interests in Asia. In 1494 the Treaty of Tordesillas was engineered by Pope Alexander VI, who feared conflict between two Catholic nations committed to expansion.
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