Statue of the Bandeirantes

These were early explorers that travelled West and North to the Amazon River. They are responsible for "establishing" Brasil's vast borders in South America. By planting the Portuguese flag far away from the Atlantic Coast the Spanish Crown had to recognize their marked territory as part of the Portuguese Empire. They were courageous, but often brutal killing thousands of the indigenous population. They searched for gold, emeralds, and other precious stones. São Paulo was their primary staging area.