🇧🇷 A Brief History of Brazil
- Discovery (1500)
On April 22, 1500, Portuguese navigator Pedro Álvares Cabral arrived on the coast of South America, claiming the land for Portugal.
It was first named the "Island of the True Cross," then renamed Brazil, due to the exploitation of pau-brasil (brazilwood), a valuable red dye tree.
- Colonial Period (1500–1815)
Brazil’s economy was based on brazilwood extraction, sugarcane plantations, and later, gold and diamond mining.
The system relied heavily on the labor of enslaved Africans and Indigenous peoples.
The Portuguese crown moved to Brazil in 1808, and in 1815, Brazil became part of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves.
- Independence & Empire (1822–1889)
On September 7, 1822, Dom Pedro I declared Brazil’s independence from Portugal with the famous “Grito do Ipiranga.”
In 1831, he abdicated in favor of his son, Dom Pedro II, who ruled for 58 years, modernizing the country.
On May 13, 1888, slavery was officially abolished with the signing of the Lei Áurea (Golden Law) by Princess Isabel.
- Republic and Vargas Era (1889–1964)
On November 15, 1889, a military coup ended the monarchy and established the Republic of Brazil.
Between 1930 and 1945, Getúlio Vargas led a strong, centralized government, marked by industrialization and authoritarianism (the Estado Novo period).
Brazil joined the Allies in World War II and emerged with growing industrial strength.
- Military Dictatorship and Modern Brazil (1964–present)
In 1964, a coup established a military dictatorship that lasted until 1985, marked by political repression but also economic growth ("Brazilian Miracle").
The return to democracy came with the “Diretas Já” movement and the 1988 Constitution, which reestablished free elections.
The 1994 Real Plan brought inflation under control. Presidents like Lula da Silva, Dilma Rousseff, and others followed, with Brazil facing cycles of progress, crisis, and political change.