The study of the following periods of Brazilian colonial history is of paramount importance, as it is from this period that the foundations of Brazilian history were laid.
The history of colonial Brazil has been divided into the following periods:
- Portuguese maritime expansion and the conquest of Brazil, the stages of this expansion and its significance in the context of European society.
- The “discovery” of Brazil, which we will refer to here as the conquest, because at the time of the “discovery” the territory was already inhabited by indigenous peoples.
- The process of colonisation, which led to the creation of the General Government, the intensification of sugar cane cultivation, the production of sugar in mills and its marketing in Europe, and the intensification of the slave trade.
- The Dutch invasions in the northeast of Brazil, the foundation of São Paulo and the expansion of the bandeirantes from the 17th century onwards.
- The process of emancipation in Portuguese America. We will look at the main revolutionary movements of the 18th century in the colony, which were influenced both by Old World Enlightenment ideals and by certain internal social and political factors. We will also study the removal of the Portuguese royal family to Brazil in 1808 and the consequences of this event for the future of Brazil.
Click on the links below to learn about the periods of Brazilian colonial history
1. Portuguese Maritime Expansion and the Conquest of Brazil.
- The causes of Portugal’s maritime expansion
- Portugal’s maritime and commercial expansion was no accident
- Why did Portugal lead the way in maritime expansion?
- The main elements of Portuguese maritime and commercial expansion
- The main stages of Portuguese expansion
- The School of Sagres and Prince Henry the Navigator
2 Occupation of the African Coast, the Atlantic Islands and the Voyage of Vasco da Gama.
- The Occupation of the African Coast and the Atlantic Islands
- The discovery of the sea route to India – the voyage of Vasco da Gama
3. Pedro Álvares Cabral’s expedition and the conquest of Brazil.
- Pedro Álvares Cabral’s expedition
- Conquest of Brazil
- Arrival of the Portuguese in Brazil
4 . Precolonial Brazil: “The forgotten years”.
- Portugal’s lack of interest in colonising Brazil
- The first expeditions to Brazil
- Shipwreck, traders and convicts
- Were the Brazilian Indians cannibals or good savages?
5. Installation of the Portuguese colony in Brazil.
- Expedition of Martim Afonso de Souza
- Hereditary captainships
6. Installation of the General Government in Brazil and Foundation of Salvador.
- General Government of Brazil
- Foundation of Salvador
7. Monoculture, slave labour and latifundia in colonial Brazil.
- The Portuguese civilisation project in Brazil
- Slave trade and slave labour
- Structure of the colonial economy
8. Colonial sugar mills in Brazil.
- Sugar Mills
- Social and cultural significance of the colonial sugar mill
9. The Iberian Union and the Dutch invasion of Brazil.
- Iberian Union or Spanish domination
- Dutch invasions of Brazil
- First Dutch invasion: Salvador
- Second Dutch invasion: Pernambuco
- Historical events related to the Iberian Union and the Dutch invasions of Brazil
10. The founding of the city of São Paulo and the Bandeirantes.
- Foundation of São Paulo
- The Bandeirantes
- The Black Ship
11. Transition between colonial and imperial Brazil.
- Protest movements
- Emancipation process
- Inconfidência Mineira
- Conjuration of Fluminense
- Conjuration of Bahia
- Conspiracy of the Suassunas
12. Transfer of the Portuguese Court to Brazil.
- The crossing from Portugal to Brazil was an old project.
- The departure
- The journey
- How to get there
- Opening of the ports
- Brazil from colony to Britain
13. The Portuguese Empire in Brazil.
- Transfer of the capital from Lisbon to Brazil
- Reconstruction of the capital, Rio de Janeiro
- Scientific and artistic spirit
- Habits of the court
- Formation of a middle class
14. Brazilian Independence – The Breaking of Colonial Ties in Brazil.
- The Revolution in the Northeast
- The liberal revolution in Porto
- Resistance in Brazil
- Cry of the Ipiranga
- Action of secret societies
See also History of Brazil.
