Some of the most famous people from the United States have been to Brazil, which is known for its vast landscapes and long past. Think about Theodore Roosevelt not as a past president but as an explorer going into the mysterious waters of the Amazon. Or Michael Jackson, who was famous all over the world, connecting with people in Rio's favelas in a real way. These meetings are more than just stories; they were important times when famous Americans deeply engaged with Brazilian society and problems. These were some of the first people in Brazil to explain what a tourist is. From Roosevelt's risky exploration to Sam Whalton's unexpected run-in with São Paulo's police, from Jackson's real conversation in Rio to Jefferson's political efforts and Busch's smart business moves, Brazil has been a major scene of many important events. This collection throws light on these less well-known but very important interactions between two powerful countries.
Dive in to find out how deep and wide these American encounters were in Brazil
Theodore Roosevelt: Having a river named after him
In 1914, not long after leaving office as president, Theodore Roosevelt was looking for a new challenge. During his trip to South America to do good things, the ambassador to Brazil said something in passing that would change his life. He said that there was an unexplored river in the Amazon that had been talked about. It was lost, and no one knew what was on the other side. It was called the River of Doubt for a reason. Theodore Roosevelt got a group of people together and went back to the River to explore. He brought his son Kermit with him. Kermit was very good at languages and could speak Portuguese. He also brought a loose group of travelers and scientists with him whose job it was to record what they found and bring samples back to the Smithsonian. Coronel Rondon, a famous Brazilian traveler, was their guide. The state of Rondonia is named after him. A lot of the people who went with them on the trip died along the way. Roosevelt's son almost died of illness in a terrible event that made the former president feel terrible about what he had done to his son. They finally got back alive and with useful samples for science. The River of Doubt was changed to the Roosevelt River.
Sam Whalton: Being held in a shop in Sao Paolo
In 1980, Sam Whalton was determined to make Walmart the world's best grocery store chain.
During his search for greatness, he would not stop at any cost. He was obsessed with every little thing about the business. If he thought someone knew something he didn't, he had to find out what it was. The story goes that Whalton was lying on the floor and using a tape measure to find out how far apart the hallways were. He thought that the Brazilian grocery store chain had set that distance for a reason, and he wanted to see if it worked in one of his shops.
The billionaire was found on the ground by a worker, who then called security. It was hard for people to believe that an American millionaire would be on the floor of a South American supermarket. He tried to explain that he was the billionaire owner of the supermarket chain.
He was caught and put in jail. Once his name was confirmed and cups of coffee were shared, Whalton was quickly let go, but he brought back more than just a story of being arrested without warning. He learned from the way stores work in Brazil, noticing the small changes in how they are set up, where products are placed, and how customers act. These observations helped Walmart come up with some of the methods it used afterward, both in the U.S. and as it expanded into other countries.
Michael Jackson's Wonderful Trip to Rio
Michael Jackson's Thriller, the best-selling record of all time, took the world by storm in the early 1980s. Jacksonmania was in full swing in Brazil. A young man from Rocinha, Rio de Janeiro's biggest slum, was one of his biggest fans. He chose to make a life-size statue of his idol out of cement, rebar, and his bare hands because he liked Jackson's music and message of unity. People in Rocinha heard about the figure. Jackson soon heard that the fan was made while he was in Rio in 1988 on his Bad World Tour. Jackson sneaked into Rocinha's heart because he had to see it for himself. Jackson got a huge smile on his face when he turned the corner and saw the figure for the first time. The crowd cheered when they saw their hero standing next to a picture of him. The front page of the newspaper had pictures of Jackson's amazing trip to Rocinha. For one unique moment, the King of Pop helped bring attention to Rio's underprivileged communities' rich culture and talent. It was one of Jackson's most honest interactions with his fans around the world, and it solidified his reputation of using music to bring people together.
Thomas Jefferson's Role in the Revolution
Napoleon's forces were coming toward Portugal in 1808 and forced the royal family to flee to Brazil. He ruled Portugal's American colonies with an iron hand from Rio de Janeiro. But after Napoleon lost in 1815, things got worse in Brazil. At the same time that a fire of freedom was spreading through the Americas, many people felt used by their mother country. Brazilians started meeting in secret to plan their own future after being inspired by people like Jefferson. They asked Jefferson for help because they knew he would understand. In letters to revolutionary leaders, Jefferson suggested in a subtle way that people could break free quietly while keeping the government stable. He told them the U.S. would help them if they needed it.
With Jefferson's help, the rebels were able to get rid of the Regent and declare Brazil's freedom in 1821. Jefferson kept his promise; he had the U.S. recognize the new Brazilian Empire right away. Jefferson kept Brazil from fighting and made sure it had a good reputation around the world from the start. The grateful Brazilian people would never forget how important he was.
In August Busch IV, he helped Ambev grow in Brazil
At the time, August Busch IV was CEO of Anheuser-Busch. In 1999, he arranged for the American brewery and Brahma, Brazil's second-largest beer company, to join into one company, AmBev. The deal was seen by Busch as a chance for Anheuser-Busch to get a piece of Brazil's growing beer market. Anheuser-Busch slowly grew its share of AmBev over the years, led by Busch, until it had a controlling stake by 2004. Busch pushed for Anheuser-Busch's modern production methods, aggressive marketing, and corporate management style to be used in Brazil's beer business, which changed everything. Busch made sure that AmBev's names, such as Brahma, Antarctica, and Skol, dominated the Brazilian market. Busch's idea helped AmBev take over more than 70% of Brazil's beer sales within a few years.
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