Brazil has a very interesting history and so many unbelievable facts. For example, the name of Brazil is associated to the name of a particular tropical hard wood, explored by the first Portuguese. Brazil is a place full of movement, energy and has an unbelievable culture; but as every other country on earth it had its history and unique events.
The start, African slaves; at first they were mainly workers of sugar plantation. The sugar was the first big businesses in Brazil, by the Portuguese. Significant numbers of slaves escaped from the sugar plantations, and found independent quilombos, in remote areas. Portuguese military expeditions against them, failed often. Final destruction of quilombos was only achieved in late 1600’s.
In 1807, King John VI of Portugal took refuge in "Rio de Janeiro", after the invasion of Portugal by Napoleon, and Brazil became the seat of the Portuguese empire. In 1789, there was a preliminary movement for Brazilian independence, lead by Tiradentes. Pedro II (1825 - 1891), has been the second and last emperor of Brazil. He was an intellectual person, responsible for the abolition of slavery. After some conflicts with neighboring countries, discontentment drove Brazil to the republican system.
Near the twentieth century came the rubber cycle, with the subsequent great fortunes in places like Manaus. It was followed by the coffee and cattle ranchers’ cycle. The boom in coffee production brought a wave of almost one million European immigrants, mostly Italians, and also brought about the Brazilian republic. Democratic government was only restored in 1985. Fernando Henrique Cardoso, elected in 1994, has been responsible for the Real Plan, an economic plan that has created a new currency (the real) and hold inflation under control. The PT's first manifesto talked of bringing a new form of democracy to Brazil, which favored the majority of society. Twenty five years on, Brazilian society in which the richest 1% earns more than the poorest, 50% put together is still run very much by and for the minority.
Besides all the confrontations and issues that Brazil passed, it doesn't change the positiveness and energy that this country has. Brazil is a country that passed through changes to get to that wonderful and popular country we now.
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
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