A short summary of the history of Brazil

[aerial photo of Rio de Janeiro showing Christ the Redeemer] [image shows a blue sky, the Rio de Janeiro coastline and the mountains with woodland and the Christ the Redeemer statue, a milestone in the history of Brazil]

When most foreigners think about Brazil, they automatically think of hot weather, joyful music, great food and drinks and spectacular beaches. And in most parts of the country, this rings true. The history of Brazil is marked by a multitude of influences from different populations, and a mixture of many nationalities which makes our country so unique. And this melting pot is one of the reasons why we are such a festive country.

As the song says, we are a “country blessed by god and beautiful by nature”. We are a bigger country than most, with a wide range of climates, traditions, dialects, gastronomies and landscapes. And it is in one of these locations that we begin our short summary of the history of Brazil: a place called Bahia, where the Portuguese first arrived with their caravels in 1500.

[Cabral’s landing in Porto Seguro, oil on canvas, Oscar Pereira da Silva, 1904. Collection of the National Historical Museum of Rio de Janeiro.] [this is a picture of Oscar Pereira da Silva’s painting of the Caravels arriving in the coast of Porto Seguro. The image shows a blue sky, trees, and the Indians underneath them on the beach, watching the caravels landing on the shore]

The Portuguese first arrived in the Americas in the 15th century, in a region now known as Bahia, founding the country’s first capital and city, Salvador. This region is marked by the great influence of African culture, music and gastronomy, mixed with some aspects derived from European colonizers. Brazil is the historical result of several distinct phases that have followed one another within a specific geographical delimitation. First came the conquest phase, when the Portuguese aimed to conquer as much land as they could, to enrich themselves and extract as many resources as possible from the land.

Then came the colonization phase, during which Portuguese families who were persecuted in Europe attempted to transform the region into a version of their homeland, by exploiting the territory and developing cities. The 19th century saw a phase of the Portuguese Empire and the constitution of a nation-state, with the arrival of other nations in the region, laying the foundations for what we know today as Brazilians. And finally, Brazil’s Republican phase, which is what we try to maintain today. Throughout the history of Brazil, our hymns, flags, coats of arms, emblems, slogans, and everything that refers to our national identity, reflect this gradual journey, and the elements from different populations (Portuguese, Japanese, German, Dutch) which make up our unique population.

Patriotism means supporting a nation phase, which can diverge from other phases that are also under construction. All these phases have affected the development of our nationality, for better or for worse. And despite all the violence suffered over the years, from the indigenous genocide and slavery to dictatorships, Brazilians have remained a warm, receptive and joyful people.

Brazil’s history is marked by peculiarities that make the country unique, and that are worth highlighting.

Brazil was named after a tree. One of many kinds of vegetation in the region, “paubrasilia” or brazilwood is a well-known symbol of the Mata Atlântica, and its exploitation was the first economic activity engaged in by the Portuguese. The tree was important to the Portuguese because of its wood, which could be used in the construction of numerous objects such as furniture and boxes, but mainly because the wood resin was used to dye fabrics. But before the colonizers arrived, Brazil was known by its native inhabitants as Pindorama.
There are two hypotheses surrounding the word’s origin: either it derives from the Tupi word “pindó-rama” or “pindó-retama” (meaning “land / place / palm region”); or it comes from the fusion of the Tupi word “pin’dob” (“palm tree”) with the suffix “-orama” (“spectacle”) – meaning, therefore, “spectacle of palm trees”

[image shows a blue sky with some white clouds and tall palm trees]

The history of Brazil is marked by several geographical delimitations, and internal conflicts over the integration and emancipation of certain regions. If we take a look at maps of the region over time, we see that many regions which we know today as independent states were not until recently. Due to the colonization process, Brazilians witnessed many separatist revolutions taking place in different parts of the country, for religious, political, cultural or economic reasons. The Inconfidência Mineira (1789) called for the secession of the State of Minas Gerais from the rest of Brazil.

The Sabinada (1837) was a revolt seeking the independence of the Bahia region. The Revolução Farroupilha separated the southern region of Brazil from the rest of the country for ten years, between 1835-1845. All these internal wars were marked by periods of economic decline and political instability – characteristics which continue into the present day. To avoid history repeating itself, the first article of the Brazilian constitution of 1988 states that the Federative Republic of Brazil is “formed by the indissoluble union of States and Municipalities and the Federal District”, rendering unconstitutional any movement whose goal (direct or indirect) is the dissolution of the Brazilian state.

The Modern Art Week of 1922 was a landmark in Brazil’s history. The event brought to light a new view on artistic processes, as well as the presentation of art considered to be “more Brazilian”. A break from academic art led to an aesthetic revolution and the advent of Brazil’s Modernist Movement. This opened the door to greater freedom in terms of aesthetic production and research in the country, contributing to a major intellectual and artistic progression. The artists who presented their works of poetry, music, architecture, sculpture and paintings to the society were highly criticized for their innovative attitude.

After the Modern Art Week, considered one of the most important milestones in the cultural history of Brazil, numerous magazines, movements and manifestos were launched. It is also worth mentioning other cultural developments which were inspired by the modernists’ ideas, such as Tropicalismo and the Lira Paulistana generation of the 1970s, and even Bossa Nova.

[O homem amarelo, by Anita Malfatti. Photographic reproduction by Romulo Fialdini] [painting of a man wearing a suit and tie, seated and looking to the left]

Over the course of Brazil’s history, the region has had three different capitals. The first, as mentioned before, was Salvador, in the Northeast region of Brazil. The country’s first city, it remained the nation’s capital from 1549 to 1763, since the Northeast Region was responsible for the greatest extraction of Pau Brasil, as well as being the leading producer of sugar – the main economic driver at that time. In addition, Salvador’s location facilitated the exportation of these products. Then, when gold was discovered in the southern part of Brazil, the capital was moved to Rio de Janeiro, which became the base of the entire Portuguese empire, eager to be closer to the gold mines.

Rio remained the country’s capital until the 1960’s, which may explain why Rio is the most famous Brazilian city today. But a national project which began in the 19th century aimed to situate the country’s capital in its central region. And so, in 1957 the construction of Brasília began. It took three years to complete most of the buildings which today house the national congress. The aim was to develop the region and stay “in the middle of everything”. The architectural design of Brasilia was overseen by Oscar Niemeyer, one of the greatest architects in the country.

The construction of Brasília was the symbolic centerpiece of Brazil’s economic development project, which sought to invest heavily in strategic areas. This project was part of a vision of a new Brazil at the time.

[Congresso Nacional na Cidade de Brasília, Autor Espartaco Madureira Coelho – public domain photo] [The image shows a blue sky with a few white clouds, and the white buildings of the National Congress in Brazil, designed by Oscar Niemeyer]

The history of Brazil is certainly complex and interesting, and no doubt there are many more curiosities for us to discuss in greater detail. Each event that took place during the country’s development has contributed to making the Brazilian people a unique, happy and resolute society.

For more trivia and history of other countries, check out our blog page. And if you want to know a little more about other Latin American countries, check out our brief history of Colombia!