I don't remember specifically why Portugal got Brazil, either, but I think I can be forgiven for that, since I learned about this stuff in 7th grade.
I guess since my dad is a teacher, I have slightly more respect for public education than the average person. Around here, your public education was what you could make of it. If you wanted to learn, you had the opportunity. Our classes only had about 30 students each, and some considerably less (independent-study creative writing in high school had maybe six of us, AP American history had eight), and our teachers were available after class if you needed help (my dad retired last year, and he still occasionally gets a home phone call from a former student, or the child of a former student, who needs math help). *shrug* I guess there are advantages to a rural education that I never suspected. (You want to know how rural? When my dad stopped teaching in a coat and tie, there was an article about it in the paper.)
I guess since my dad is a teacher, I have slightly more respect for public education than the average person. Around here, your public education was what you could make of it. If you wanted to learn, you had the opportunity. Our classes only had about 30 students each, and some considerably less (independent-study creative writing in high school had maybe six of us, AP American history had eight), and our teachers were available after class if you needed help (my dad retired last year, and he still occasionally gets a home phone call from a former student, or the child of a former student, who needs math help). *shrug* I guess there are advantages to a rural education that I never suspected. (You want to know how rural? When my dad stopped teaching in a coat and tie, there was an article about it in the paper.)