50 SELLING LATIN AMERICA 
still persisted in claiming this province and 
when Dom Pedro made an Empire of Brazil, 
he also attempted to exercise jurisdiction over 
Uruguay as well. This ultimately resulted in 
a war between Brazil and Argentine, in which 
the Uruguayans rallied to the aid of the 
Argentinians, defeating the Brazilians. A 
treaty of peace in which the mediation of Eng 
land was asked, was signed August 27, 1828, 
giving Uruguay its independence. 
The present government is based upon that 
of the United States and comprises executives 
in the persons of a President and a Vice-Presi 
dent, elected for four years, and a legislative 
body, consisting of a House of Representatives 
and a Senate. 
Uruguay occupies an area of 72,210 square 
miles, or is about as large as all of the New 
England States. It is virtually an extensive 
undulating plain, having in its northern sec 
tion a series of mountain ranges but few 
of which are higher than 2000 feet. It is 
bounded on the east by the Atlantic Ocean 
and on the north by Brazil, the Rio Cuareim