Portuguese-America

[] ** Analytical Questions ** 1. What were the motives for settlement for your area and how did those impact the structure of government and relationship with the Mother Country? Between 1650 and 1715, the Dutch, English, and French increased sugar production through plantations in the Caribbean. In order for portugal to compete with its European rivals, it too had to expand into the New World. Brazil, because of its plethora of resources, was an ideal option. “In sum, the economy of Latin America was not geared to its own best interests but to the making of immediate profits for the Iberian metropolises and for a small, New World planter-trader elite, almost exclusively of European origin”(Burns 38). By mobilizing into the New World, Portugal was able to astronomically expand its production and therefore its profits with complete disregard for the harm brought to the natives. The native Brazilians accepted this continuation of European imperialism. In fact, they very rarely protested the system due to the Portuguese power of legitimacy. Furthermore, this system was actually supported by the elite Americans (Burns 41).
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2. How did geography and demography impact the political and social structures that developed?

The geography of the region caused a split into two states: Brazil and Maranhao. Because of Brazil’s immense size and vast resources, it eventually grew into a kingdom and political powerhouse. Although, Portugal was able to maintain its overseas empires for upwards of three centuries, its system of imperial organization was lackluster. Portugal’s systems was loosely organized, its institutions less well defined and more transitory. There was frequent overlapping of duties and failure to designate responsibility within the disorderly Portuguese government (Burns 38-39).



3. How did the political structure established lead to discontent in the future? In Portuguese-America, there was virtually no political structure. The Portuguese government was loosely organized and that translated into its colonies. They had governor generals who were represented the royal government, but the governor general's influence depended solely upon the governor general's ability. Most elected officials were nobility. In addition, Portugal never actually set aside a special council to deal with Brazilian issues. Basically, stronger than any government body was the plantation family. "The strongest of the families formed a landed aristocracy, which in the colonial period dominated [...] the newly independent national government" (Burns 46). The fact that an aristocracy formed from such a loosely organized government must have led to discontent in Brazilian future.

4. To what extent did the socio-economic climate in your region lead to a wealth-gap?

The entire socio-economic climate depended upon plantation families or paterfamilias. These plantations were owned by rich landowners and were

 the elite of Portuguese-America. These plantations consisted of many slaves who were the native Indians and African slaves bought from the Triangle Trade. These natives and African slaves were extremely poor and this separation between the elite landowners and the poor slaves led to an extreme wealth gap. “The paterfamilias dominated the household and the plantations, ruling family, slaves, and tenants with unquestioned authority” (Burns 46).

5. How oppressive was mercantilism to the settlers in your region?

The main goal of mercantilism was to strengthen the economic viability of European Nations. As stated by Brazilian satirical poet Gregorio de Matos, “the Brazilians worked endlessly to support Portuguese idleness” (qtd In Burns 61). The Brazilians in general were extremely disapproving of Mercantilism and Portuguese economic policies in general because they fell victim to abusive monopolies and astronomical prices. In addition, Crown monopolies decreased efficiency as a whole and pushed local merchants out of trade. Moreover, Portugal did not allow for even Native elites to profit under its capitalism by disallowing them from directly trading to European Nations. (Burns 64)

6. What were the major labor systems that developed and how did they impact the structure of your society? Who was laboring?

Brazil saw its first shipments of African slaves in the year 1538 and wouldn’t abolish its slave trade until 1866 (Burns 22). Additionally, the native Americans also became a source of labor to Brazilian landowners. The nomadic natives were gathered into villages where they were exploited for their labor (Burns 45).

7. How were the indigenous populations (Native Americans) treated in your society and what impact did that have on future colonial development?

The indigenous populations in the Brazilian society were treated as if they had no purpose but to work for the Brazilians. The Native Americans were concentrated into aldeias or villages by the crown in order to use them as a source of labor. Though protected in the villages, the Indians were introduced to Christianity, and in return had to pay them back in labor. The monarch felt this aldeia system was helpful in the native Indian assimilation to a European society. “However, the system proved to be one more device of the landowners to exploit the labor of the Indians” (Burns 35). Because of exposure to European disease, the native Indians basically died out. As a result of this, Portugal decided to buy more African slaves to take the place of the native Indians. Future colonial development was greatly affected. First, the influence of native Indian culture and/or traditions is now only represented by the mulattoes(blend of European and Indian). Also, there will also now be a strong African influence. The colonial development will be based on a lot of slavery and will exclude the colony’s original native Indian culture.



8. To what extent did your region separate church and state and allow freedom of religion?

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 20px; vertical-align: baseline;">There was no separation of church and state nor was there any hint of freedom of Religion. The monarch ruled by divine right. He made executed, and judged the laws while protecting the church through them. (Burns 32) Also, the Portuguese made it their goal to convert all natives. As Burns points out, “By Christianizing the Indians, the Europeans would also be Europeanizing them: teaching the trades, customs, languages, and habits of the Spanish and the Portuguese” (Burns 53). The portuguese believed that by converting the natives, the natives would become more loyal to the throne and therefore be less likely to rebel. In conclusion, religious freedom did not exist in Portuguese colonies.

<span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif; font-size: 220%;">9. To what extent did intellectual movements (Baroque, Enlightenment) influence the development of your region?

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 20px; vertical-align: baseline;">The intellectual movement that directly influenced the development of Portuguese-America would be the Baroque movement. Brazilian cities were baroque in a different sense than most cities. This contributed to the control and unity between the Brazilian towns and between the global Portuguese empire (Burns 60). Brazilian luxury was quite different when compared to Spanish-American extravagance. "The city certainly manifested the royal presence, serving as a vital link of control and unity in Portugal's far-flung global empire" (Burns 60).

** Definitions ** Monoeconomy(monoculture) : **An society in which the entire economy is built off of one single investment. In the case of Brazil, sugar makes up its** **monoeconomy.**

Patrimonialism ** : A relationship in which the land owner reserves all authority over the residents who live upon that land. The landowner has no restrictions or regulations as to how he is supposed to exert authority of the residents; however, he does what he thinks is best. It is similar to a feudal system. **

Aldeias ** : Brazilian landowners depended on the native Indians as their source of labor. These Indians were taken from the "aldeias" or the villages. They were a form of labor, but also a good place for the Portuguese to impose their Christian influence. **

Quilombos ** : These are slave communities that plotted and revolted against their landowners. **

Jesuits ** : These were the scholars of the Church. They were the most intellectual and the most organized group. However, the Iberians didn't like the power that they had and expelled them from both Brazil and Spanish-America. **

Captains-General ** : Portugese- America actually consisted of both Brazil and Maranhao. The divisions between these two states are called captaincies. The captains-general is basically the governor of these captaincies as he oversees the business between them and such. **

Reinois ** : These were the caucasians born in Portugal. they viewed Brazil as a part of the Portuguese empire as a whole. This viewpoint results in a struggle with the mazombos. **

Mazombos ** : These were the natives born in Brazil. Their vision was a little clouded because they wanted laws to be beneficial to them and their communities. This viewpoint resulted in a struggle with the reinois. **

Mestizos ** : These are people who are literally the perfect blend of a European and a native In **** dian. They are perfectly adjusted to the land and customs. **

Mulattoes ** : Similar to a mestizo, a mulatto is the interracial combination of a European and a native Indian. **

Declaration of Independence

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