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Apr 22, 1500
Birth of Brazil
The Portuguese explorer Pedro Cabral claims the land for the Portuguese empire. The object of the undertaking was to return with valuable spices and to establish trade relations in India. -
GOLD!
The gold rush began with people from other parts of the colony and Portugal flooding the region in the first half of the 18th century. Gold mining in this area became the main economic activity of colonial Brazil during the 18th century. In Portugal, the gold was mainly used to pay for industrialized goods obtained from countries like England and, especially during the reign of King John V. -
Riveting, Renewed Republic
The country declared its independence from Portugal and became Empire of Brazil. Prince Pedro was acclaimed Dom Pedro I, Constitutional Emperor and Perpetual Defender of Brazil. -
Where rubber meets road
The rubber boom in the Amazon radically reshaped the Amazonian economy. It turned the remote poor jungle village of Manaus into a rich, sophisticated, progressive urban center, with a cosmopolitan population that patronized the theater, literary societies, and luxury stores, and supported good schools. In general, key characteristics of the rubber boom included the dispersed plantations, and a durable form of organization, yet did not respond to Asian competition. -
"Let Freedom Ring"
Golden Law abolishes slavery in Brazil. This brought international praise to the Brazilian imperial family, but also condemned the Crown. The landowners quickly organized and built opposition to the monarchy. -
A New Order
Pedro II was deposed by a Republican military coup led by General Deodoro da Fonseca, who became the country's first de facto president through military ascension. The country's name became the Republic of the United States of Brazil . Two military presidents ruled through four years of dictatorship amid conflicts, among the military and political elites and an economic crisis due the effects of the burst of a financial bubble, the encilhamento. -
WW1
Brazil declares war on Germany and joins Allied powers. Brazil initially adopted a neutral position in an attempt to maintain the markets for its export products, mainly coffee, latex and industrial manufactured items. Repeated sinking of Brazilian merchant ships by German submarines, in 1917 the Brazilian President Venceslau Brás declared war against the Central Powers, and was the only country of Latin America to be directly involved in the war. -
Climbing the food chain
The liberal revolution overthrew the oligarchic coffee plantation owners and brought to power an urban middle class that and business interests that promoted industrialization and modernization. Aggressive promotion of new industry turned around the economy. Brazil's leaders decided that that Argentina's implicit foreign policy goal was to isolate Portuguese-speaking Brazil from Spanish-speaking neighbors. -
Nuclear?
Brazil signs nuclear energy accord with Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) Admiral Álvaro Alberto da Motta e Silva purchased centrifuges for uranium enrichment purposes from the University of Göttingen. Although the equipment was not delivered because it was seized and detained by order of the United States, Brazil’s goal of obtaining the technology to master the entire nuclear fuel-cycle continued to be pursued intermittently over the following decades. -
Rio Games
The 31st summer olympics were held in Rio de Janeiro. More than 11,000 athletes from 205 National Olympic Committees took part in the events. These sporting events took place at 33 venues in the host city.
