Brazil A short history
Jan 04, 2016
Brazil
A short history
Pre - Colonial
• Brazil developed culturally over many centuries
• Two theories of how the first people arrived in Brazil:– Migrated from Asia across the Bering Straight
approximately 10,000 to 20,000 years ago– Arrived by raft from islands in the South
Pacific or Asia
Indigenous People - Culture
• Indigenous people developed cultures that allowed them to live securely within their environments
• Example: Amazon groups combined hunting & gathering with shifting agriculture
• The people were nomadic, often picking up and moving when they needed more and better sources of food
• Large settlements sprang up along the main Amazon river because the river provided an abundance of food and was suitable for permanent farming
The Arrival of the Portuguese
• The Portuguese arrived in Brazil in 1500• Many indigenous people were enslaved and
many died as a result of European diseases• Portugal was mainly interested in Brazil’s
brazilwood to be sent to Europe• In order to stave off claims to Brazil from rival
nations, Portugal established a colony in Brazil• Portuguese people inhabited the colony and a
capital city was built in Salvador da Bahia in 1549
The Arrival of the Portuguese
• Portuguese people adopted aspects of indigenous languages, agricultural practices, foods, medicines, and culture.
• Bandeirantes (flag bearers) made their way into the interior of Brazil and extended Brazil’s borders
• 1690: bandeirantes searched for gold and other minerals
Brazil Becomes Industrial
• 1690s: bandeirantes found gold in the mountains of Minas Gerais. This set off the gold rush and sparked Brazil’s industrial development
• 1729: diamonds discovered in the same area
• 1760: Brazil was the leading supplier of gold and diamonds
Slavery Abolished
• 1889: Brazil abolishes slavery. Slaves brought over from West Africa and Angola contributed to the emerging ethnic diversity that came to characterize Brazilian culture
Current Era: Population Patterns
• By the 1900s, the following population patterns emerged:– Population was a mix of African, Portuguese,
Indigenous– Portuguese immigrants inhabited the South,
while African immigrants inhabited the North East
– Indigenous people were ravaged by disease, took refuge in the interior of Brazil
Current Era: Population Patters
• By the 1900s, the following population patterns emerged:– The centre of power and commerce had
moved from the North East to the South East, as a result, the capital moves from Salvador to Rio de Janiero
– Most people settled along the coastal lowlands
– Agriculure and mining were the main economic forces