Brazil: History Chapter 8 Section 2
How did Brazil’s early peoples live? How did the Portuguese colony in Brazil develop? How did Brazil gain independence and become a democracy?
Vocab… Indigenous Slash-and-burn agriculture Emancipate Compulsory
History
Some practiced slash-and-burn agriculture Some were nomads.
Columbus returns to Spain….
The treaty of Tordesillas…….1494
Portuguese Claim Pedro Cabral (headed to India) Stayed 10 days - peaceful Portugal didn’t pay much attention for 30 years.
Brazilwood… Sailors established a few trading posts along Brazil’s coast to collect brazilwood – the red dye extracted from the wood was valued. Brazilwood…….Brazil (Now we’ve got more Europeans interested….)
King John III Wary of losing control, he establishes a colony in Portuguese rule would last for more than 300 years.
Land Grants King gave wealthy supporters land grants They were responsible for developing it Established cities and gave land to colonists to farm
But there was too much work…. Began enslaving native people Many resisted and were killed Thousands more died from diseases Others fled into the interior.
End of the land-grant system King John put Brazil under royal control and sent a governor from Portugal * More colonists * Jesuit Catholic Priests
Jesuits Were asked by King to convert the native people. Those who converted were settled in special villages and protected from slavery
As sugar expanded, ranching pushed westward…. Also had Jesuits going into the interior to protect and convert people Slave hunters too moved into the interior
Wealth In the 1600’s Brazil’s sugar was Portugal's greatest source of wealth Coffee & Cotton developed Gold discovered in the 1690’s Diamonds discovered in the 1720’s (Enslaved Africans worked on plantations and in mines)
Independence… (Thanks Napoleon!)
Napoleon defeated Britain, Russia, Austria and Sweden, and then invaded Portugal in As The French got to Lisbon, the royal family and government leaders fled to Brazil Brazil’s status changed from colony of Portugal to part of a kingdom (equal status with Portugal)
Napoleon Loses Portuguese people wanted their king back, so in 1821 he went home and left his son behind to rule Portugal turns Brazil back into a colony and orders the son home – he refuses and declares independence
King Pedro Most Brazilians supported independence –but they didn’t like Pedro’s harsh rule – forced to turn over throne to 5 year old son.
Pedro II Ruled for 50 years Well Liked Great Progress Population 4 million to 14 million. Many European immigrants Railroads Built Stopped importing slaves from Africa…
Emancipate 1860’s a movement began to free the enslaved people. Pedro thought is should happen gradually – freedom to all children born to people I slavery 1885 law freed enslaved people over all remaining enslaved people freed.
Angry Plantation owners…. Supported Brazil’s army in overthrowing Pedro II New constitution based on the Constitution of the US But only wealthy property owners could vote In 1910 the population was 22 millions – only 627,000 could vote
Most of the wealthy were in the southeast… The Brazilian presidents followed economic policies that benefited the southeast. Coffee (More rich landowners)
1930 Getulio Vargas overthrew the newly elected president and seized power. Ruled for 15 years.
Reforms Vargas’s reforms made him a hero to most Brazilians – Raised wages – Shortened work hours – Allowed unions However……..
He still ruled like a dictator…. Dissolved legislature Banned political parties Forced to resign by military in 1945 Elected again in 1950 Forced form office in 1954
The next 30 years…. Alternated between dictators and elected leaders Manufacturing grew and thrived (steel, auto, chemical industries) Foreign investment However…..
Civil Unrest Military took control in 1965 Series of generals became head of the government “elected” legislature – but the army controlled the elections If you opposed you were arrested Military gave up power in 1985
Today Democratic Republic with elected leaders Voting is COMPULSORY – required by law to vote!
The End