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1542
In the Beginning
The Amazon is located in Brazil. It is a jungle full of mysteries and adventures. Expeditions date back to 1542. The Amazon is a natural resource and its known as the Last Frontier. -
Amazon Indians
The native settlers live very rugged lives. Their villages do not have running water or electricity. -
Natural Resources
The Amazon is full of natural resources, such as rubber, timber and gold! -
Animal species and insects
Rare animals, such as the Purpoise, can be found in the Amazon. Also,there are over 2 million types of insects. -
Devil's Railroad
Workers begun to build the railroad tracks to transport rubber from the Amazon jungle to the Bolivian border. -
War Against Mosquitoes
In 1907, many workers died from Malaria which is a disease transmitted through mosquito bites. Then, an American by the name of Farquhal took over the construction project. First, he built a camp for workers to sleep in and take shelter from the mosquitoes. Then he gave them medicine against Malaria and sprayed the area with pesticide. -
Completed at Last
The railroad was completed in 1912. A total of 227 miles of track had been built. -
Forest Devastation
With the invention of modern machinery like bulldozers, people began cutting and burning down the Amazon forest. -
Shut Down
With new technology and the discovery of resources in nearer places, the use of the Devil's Railroad began to decrease. By 1972, the Brazilian government closed down the railroad. -
Gold Mining
The Amazon is a place full of resources, including Gold! In 1990, over 60 thousand people had traveled to the area in hopes to find gold. Most used the panning method . -
Modern Amazon
Today, the Amazon continues to be a mysterious place explored by few, but visited by many.
