Who claimed Brazil for Portugal in the year 1500?

Pedo Cabral is recognized for claiming Brazil for Portugal in the year 1500. On his voyage to India, he accidentally landed on what is now Brazilian territory and formally claimed it for the Portuguese crown. This event marked the beginning of Portugal's colonial empire in South America.

Vasco da Gama is known for his pioneering sea route to India, which was significant for establishing trade channels between Europe and Asia, but he did not claim Brazil. Bartholomew Diaz was the first European to round the Cape of Good Hope, opening the sea route to India, but he too had no connection to Brazil. Christopher Columbus is credited with the discovery of the Bahamas in 1492 and is associated with Spain, not Portugal, and therefore did not claim Brazil.

Cabral's landing in Brazil led to Portugal eventually establishing a significant presence in the region, making his discovery pivotal in the context of European exploration and imperial expansion in the Americas.