Vintage Images Of Brazilian History

Brazil is the largest nation in South America within the continent known as the Americas, also, Brazil is the fifth largest nation in the world with a total land area of 3,265,080 square miles. Brazil neighbours French Guiana, Venezuela, Suriname, Guyana, and Colombia, which are situated to the north of its borders, meanwhile, Peru, Paraguay, Bolivia, and Argentina are west of its borders, and Uruguay is to the south, with the Atlantic Ocean situated to the east. The capital of Brazil is Brasilia, which was inaugurated as such in 1960. In previous history (between 1763 and 1960), Rio de Janeiro was the nation's capital city. On the date of this publication Brazil's population was said to be about 216 million people, and the official spoken language in Brazil is Portuguese, however, there are currently roughly 228 different spoken languages across the nation. Brazil possesses about one-third of the world's remaining rainforests (the Amazon rainforest), in addition, it is by far the most biodiverse nation on earth. According the official statistics one-tenth of the world's overall species resides within its borders, there are more than 46,000 described species of plants, over 1,800 confirmed species of birds, over 900 described amphibians, over 600 described mammals, and over 700 described reptiles. Brazil is currently the world's foremost sugar and coffee producer, and it is also admired for having a variety of exquisite beaches and spectacular waterfalls. This culturally diverse nation has arguably the greatest passion for football in the world, as well as beach volleyball. Meanwhile, the Rio Carnival is forever heralded around the world as the lord of all carnivals, and this most spectacular event is well-known internationally for being a major tourist attraction each year.

Pedro Álvares Cabral (born 1467 - died 1520) was a Portuguese nobleman, military commander, and explorer, who was widely regarded as the first European to discover Brazil in South America, in 1500. The first Portuguese settlers were encountered by a wide variety of indigenous South American Indians. According to historians before the first arrival of Europeans, once upon a time Brazil was the home to an estimated 11 million indigenous Indians of roughly 2,000 different tribes. However, within the first century of European contact, roughly 90 percent of the indigenous Indian population were decimated, mainly because they had contracted European diseases such as the flue, measles, and smallpox, for which their immune system had very little or no defence against. The Tupinambá people are considered one of the well-known tribes that had inhabited the New World. The Tupinambá people originally resided in the eastern coast of Brazil from Ceará in the north to Porto Alegre in the south, they are comprised of the Potiguara, Tupinikin, Tupinambá, Guaraní and Caeté tribes, all such tribes were collectively known as the Tupinambá people, and their common spoken language was Tupian. The Tupinambá people were semi-nomadic tribes, who subsisted by hunting various land animals, including birds and fishes, but also, by employing seasonal agriculture. The first Portuguese settlement in Brazil was at São Vicente in 1532. At that time, hundreds of European immigrants who were thirsting for adventure, or a better life for their families and themselves, arrived by ships to establish colonies along the Brazilian coast. Portugal's new colony was initially called Veracruz, Portuguese for 'true cross'. However, it was soon renamed Brazil because of the abundance of brazilwood (pau-brasil) found within the Amazon forests, this type of tree is known to yield a very attractive and valuable red dye. The sap was economically important because it was utilized for dying a wide variety of items, but today, this special tree is best known as the source of a highly prized timber which is utilized to create bows for string instruments such as violins and cellos.

Colonial Brazil

After the Portuguese discovered the profitable potential of the pau-brasil trees, they began manufacturing the valuable red dye from the pau-brasil timbers. As the Portuguese ventured deeper into the Amazon jungles, they required a greater number of labourers, and initially the Portuguese colonizers attempted to enslave the native Indians, but a significant amount of them died after contracting European diseases, and in addition, a great many died because they could not endure the arduous labour forced upon them. As a result, the Portuguese colonizers began to import African slaves to Brazil, since the Portuguese became aware that African slaves possessed a stronger immune system which provided them with greater protection against European diseases that had proved fatal to numerous native Indians, additionally, African slaves had greater stamina and physical strength endurance, which helped them to sustain the punishing work schedules exacted upon them, nevertheless, due to harsh conditions and barbaric treatment their mortality rate was said to be extremely high. Over time the Portuguese utilized the deforested lands for a variety of plantations, some of which were, cotton, coffee and sugar plantations. This in turn led to a dramatic increase in African slave labour, but also, the vast and varied natural resources that was discovered in Brazil made it Portugal's most lucrative colony (between the 16th and 19th century).

The Treaty Of Tordesillas (1494)

The Treaty of Tordesillas was an agreement established between the Spanish Empire, also referred to as the Crown of Castile, and the Portuguese Empire to prevent war over territories in the newly discovered lands outside of Europe, particularly the Americas. The Treaty of Tordesillas stipulated demarcations along a meridian 370 leagues west of the Cape Verde islands off the west coast of Africa, and this agreement had effectively divided the New World into Spanish and Portuguese spheres of influence. The treaty was signed in Tordesillas, Spain, on 7 June 1494, and then authenticated in Setúbal, Portugal. Nonetheless, over the ensuing centuries there were territorial disputes between Spain and Portugal over the demarcated regions within the Americas. Moreover, during that era there was fierce competition between other European Empires, whose objectives were to colonize new regions. This meant that the Portuguese foothold in the New World was precarious and costly, as this region was challenged aggressively by other nations on numerous occasions.

The First Capital Of Brazil (1549)

The New World posed many difficult challenges for the Portuguese Empire, and initially the Portuguese Crown tried but failed to establish a central government in Brazil. According to historians during the initial stages of colonized Brazil the Portuguese had established a system of rule called 'captaincies' the term given to low-ranking nobles and merchants, who were granted authority over large areas of land in Brazil. Unfortunately, by 1549, it became apparent that this system of governance had failed. Therefore, in 1549, the King of Portugal John III (born 1502 - died 1557), appointed Tomé de Sousa (born 1503 - died 1573) to the position of Governor-General over colonized Brazil. Tomé de Sousa also known as Thomé De Souza, was a Portuguese nobleman and soldier, who was ordered to sail to Brazil with many ships and hundreds of Portuguese soldiers and settlers, including missionaries, architects, builders, stonemasons and sculptors. Tomé de Sousa's mission was to construct a fortification to defend against foreign invaders, but also, to Christianise the native Indian population, and establish order within the colonies by restoring the king's authority. Prior to Sousa's mission colonized Brazil was not prioritized by the Portuguese Empire, instead, Portugal had concentrated much of their resources and attention on the spice trade in India. Unfortunately, Portugal suffered a decline in trade for spices from India and increasing threats occurred around Brazil's borders from various foreign forces, including numerous threats posed by the surrounding Spanish colonies. As a result, the Portuguese began to concentrate on establishing all-round stronger defensive measures. After Tomé de Sousa had completed the construction of the Brazilian colony in 1549, it was named the city of Salvador, this region was situated at Bahia on the Atlantic coast, between São Paulo and Pernambuco, but importantly, Salvador de Bahia became Brazil's very first capital city, and it remained as such until the year 1763.

The Second Capital Of Brazil (1763)

The city of Salvador was founded in 1549, when it became the first capital of Brazil. However, in 1763, the capital of Brazil was moved from Salvador to Rio de Janeiro for a variety of economic, political, and administrative reasons. Portugal had successfully repelled invasions by other European nations thereby retaining colonial Brazil. Throughout the 18th century the economy in Brazil rapidly developed and diversified. African slaves assisted with the production of cotton, tobacco, sugar, cocoa, coffee and agriculture. Importantly, Brazil possessed huge natural resources and after Portugal discovered great quantities of gold nuggets and precious stones in Minas Gerais, such as diamonds, aquamarine and emeralds, the Portuguese Crown began to profit from those acquisitions by creating a very successful mining industry and then exported large volumes of precious stones to different parts of Portugal's Empire, but also, coal, copper, and a variety of other important natural minerals. Because Rio de Janeiro was the closest port to each of those mining regions, in 1763, the Portuguese Crown decreed that Rio de Janeiro be inaugurated capital city of Brazil.

The Twin Capitals Of Brazil (1808 - 1821)

In 1807, King John VI of Portugal along with other members of the royal family, and the Portuguese aristocracy, escaped to the capital city of Brazil (Rio de Janeiro), after Napoléon Bonaparte's army had invaded Portugal in the same year. Napoleon began a war with Portugal because Portugal's regime refused to comply with his demand for the Portuguese navel fleet to join forces with the French fleet to disrupt the trading network of the British Empire across continental Europe, a foreign policy contrived by Napoleon aptly termed the 'Continental Blockade'. Portugal's predicament was the fact that both Britain and Portugal had benefited greatly from their longstanding and highly profitable trading arrangements during that era. As a consequence Portugal's council arrived at the difficult decision that the Portuguese central government, which was based in the capital city of Lisbon, in Portugal, would be temporarily relocated to Rio de Janeiro, in Brazil, where the centre of Portugal's government continued its administration, but on Brazilian soil, and this unprecedented arrangement had lasted for about thirteen years spanning between 1808 and 1821, thereby, enabling Portugal's governing independence.

Brazil Independence (1822)

King Dom John VI (1767-1826) was the sovereign ruler of Portugal when he together with other members of the Royal family emigrated to Brazil in 1807, with the intention to escape from Napoleon's invasion of Portugal in the same year. However, after Napoleon Bonaparte departed from Portugal, a few years later, he was engaged in the Battle of Waterloo, in Belgium, on 18 June 1815, vying against English field General Arthur Wellesley (Duke of Wellington), who had co-led a coalition army along with Prussian field marshal Gebhard von Blücher. The battle of Waterloo was a momentous battle in which Napoleon suffered his greatest defeat and did not recover. Meanwhile, in Portugal, 1820, a great political revolution swept the nation, and as soon as King Dom VI was informed of the events, he was duty bound to return to Portugal. Therefore, King VI handed the reign of Brazil to his young son, Dom Pedro I (born 1798 - died 1834), who was commanded to rule as prince regent in his absence. However, Dom Pedro (I) cradled his own political ideas and high ambitions for the future of Brazil. Thus, over the ensuing years a series of tumultuous political and military events evolved across Brazil, after which most of Brazil's population demanded independence. Nonetheless, the Portuguese regime rejected Brazil's request for independence, and threatened an ultimatum, which was to revoke Brazil's political autonomy that had been founded in 1808, by reverting Brazil to its previous colonial status. After deep contemplation, King Pedro (I) decided to defy the Portuguese government's demands by siding with the majority Brazilian people. As a result, on 7 September 1822, King Pedro declared Brazil to be independent from the royal family of Portugal and the United Kingdom of Portugal. But controversially, Don Pedro (I) obstinately ordained to maintain a monarchical system of government in Brazil so that his heirs could reign after him.

The Brazilian Republic (1889)

Dom Pedro (I) was proclaimed the first emperor of independent Brazil, in October 1822 and by March 1824, Pedro had defeated all those loyalist military forces within Brazil who had remained faithful to the Portuguese empire and opposed his rule. However, over the ensuing years, Dom Pedro's popularity began to decline, partly because there was a growing resentment from certain factions within Brazil to the monarchy. Therefore, following his father's death in 1826, and due to his increasing unpopularity in Brazil, there was calls by the Portuguese monarchy for Dom Pedro to return to Portugal to assume the throne, consequently in 1831 Dom Pedro finally abdicated the throne in Brazil and returned to Portugal. But before leaving, Dom Pedro had ordained that his five-year-old son, Dom Pedro II (born 1825 - died 1891), must be anointed as the emperor of Brazil when he was eventually of rightful age. When Dom Pedro II grew up to become sovereign ruler, he fathered a daughter called Princess Isabel of Bragança, she had acted as princess regent on three occasions during her life, but importantly, she is remembered for abolishing slavery in Brazil, in the year 1888. However, Dom Pedro II also became unpopular, and he was conspired against by Brazilian landowners, bureaucrats, and sections of the military, as they were strongly opposed to the Brazilian monarchy and its government. The consequences were that Pedro II was eventually overthrown by a military coup d'état in 1889, and this historical event proved the permanent abolishment of the Brazilian monarchy, but importantly, this was also the first establishment of a Brazilian Republic in the same year.

The Dictatorship Era

The first Brazilian Republic was established by a military coup in 1889, but since then the history of Brazil has witnessed two dictatorship governments. The first was the Vargas era spanning (1937-1945), and the second occurred under the Brazilian military rule spanning (1964-1985). Getúlio Dornelles Vargas (born 1882 - died 1954), who was nicknamed 'the father of the poor', began his career in the military, before becoming a Brazilian lawyer, then later developed an interest in politics and eventually became a reputable politician. The Brazilian economy collapsed in 1929, and as a result, civilian unrest fermented throughout Brazil. Subsequently, the Brazilian revolution (armed insurrection) occurred in 1930, at this time Vargas had opportunistically seized power by assuming the presidency, albeit provisionally. A few years later in 1935, the communist opposition party, which was led by Luís Carlos Prestes, staged a revolt with the objective to establish radical reforms within the government. But, although the uprising was eventually defeated, the communist revolt had provided Vargas with the opportunity to demand more executive powers for himself, which was granted to him by the National Congress of Brazil. Vargas then collaborated with factions of the Brazilian military in order to plot a military coup in 1937, and this event had resulted in the annulment of Brazil’s political constitution. After Vargas had procured authority, he dissolved parliament, banned all political parties and trade unions, censored the press and suppressed all opposition, and then became Brazil's first dictator (1937-1945). However, during his dictatorship Vargas had acquired many enemies in high places, which eventually led to his deposition by way of a military coup in 1945. But a few years later, undaunted, Vargas returned, only this time as a candidate of the Brazilian Labor Party, when he courageously campaigned for the 1950 presidential election. And on 31st January 1951, Getúlio Vargas was duly re-elected to become the 17th President of Brazil. Unfortunately, during his final years in office, Vargas became embroiled in corruption and an increasing political crisis, which led to his depression. But the culmination of his troubles occurred with the so called 'Tonelero Street Shooting' which was an attempted assassination on the life of a prominent politician by the name of Carlos Lacerda on 5th August 1954. Given that Carlos Lacerda was a very stern critic of Getúlio Vargas, following the criminal incident, Vargas was immediately considered as one of the suspects by parts of the media but also many in the general public, and although Vargas had proclaimed his innocence, and the accusations against him was unfounded, the pressures put upon him was unrelenting and ultimately, this tragically led to his suicide in 1954. However, since his demise there are some historians, who hold the controversial opinion that Getúlio Vargas was the most influential Brazilian politician of the 20th century.

Due to political infighting and disagreements within the government, after the death of Getúlio Vargas, beginning with João Fernandes Campos Café Filho, there were three acting vice presidents, each of whom in quick succession had assumed the presidency, albeit temporarily, until a general election occurred on 3 October 1955, after which the popular Brazilian politician Juscelino Kubitschek (born 1902 - died 1976) was duly elected as the 21 President of Brazil. He served from 1956 until 1961 and the first part of his term was marked by political stability and economic prosperity. But Juscelino Kubitschek is particularly well-known for sanctioning the ambitious construction of a new city called Brasilia, which was inaugurated as the new capital of Brazil in 1960, replacing Rio de Janeiro. Brasilia is situated in central-west region of Brazil, on the Brazilian highlands, and it is a region that was designed to show case an impressive array of futuristic architecture and a visionary metropolis. Nevertheless, at the end of Kubitschek's term in office, his government became unpopular, was tarnished with accusations of corruption, and left the country with a huge foreign debt. The Brazilian politician João Goulart (born 1919 - died 1976) of the National Labour Party became the next President of Brazil, following the national elections on 3 October 1960, and his term in office spanned 1961 to 1964.

The Military Dictatorship (1964-1985)

In 1964 the Brazilian armed forces organized a military coup d'état, also known as the Coup of 64, which led to the overthrow of President João Goulart. It is widely believed that the coup was encouraged and supported by Brazilian governors, José de Magalhães Pinto, Adhemar Pereira de Barros, Carlos Lacerda, and the state department of the USA. It is also believed that this coup was masterminded and directed by the most senior generals of the Brazilian army. The series of events began on 31 March 1964 and concluded 1 April 1964 resulting in the installation of the Brazilian military. But, in 1967 the military regime enacted a new restrictive constitution which suppressed freedom of speech and all political opposition, precisely the opposite of what it had pledged not to do before seizing power. But despite committing torture and exiling dissidents, Brazil's military dictatorship fostered a very successful economic recovery, which culminated in the so-called 'Brazilian Miracle' in the early 1970s. An era of exceptional economic growth followed Brazil's triumphant football campaign at the 1970 FIFA World Cup in Mexico, and these events had coincided with a Golden Age of Brazilian development. However, from the late 1970s the dictatorship witnessed a dramatic decline of the economy, which led to a recession, chronic inflation, civil unrest, and many industrial strikes across the nation. At this time millions of Brazilians demonstrated on the streets and demanded the restoration of a democratic government. As a result, in 1982, due to increasing pressure, the dictatorship regime allowed free Parliamentary elections which was held on 15 November 1982. Nevertheless, many people had not viewed the 1982 election as democratic and fair, therefore, a national election was held in 1985, and on that occasion the new President was elected by the people, and not by the high command of the armed forces. Tancredo Neves (born 1910 - died 1985) became the next democratically elected Brazilian President, but unfortunately, he contracted diverticular disease became progressively ill and died weeks later before he could take office. However, this historical political event had marked the end of the military dictatorship era, and the beginning of an optimistic new democracy era in Brazil.