Independence of Brazil: summary, causes, date

THE independence of Brazil it happened in 1822, having as a great landmark the cry for independence that was carried out by Pedro de Alcântara (D. Pedro I during the First Reign), on the banks of the Ipiranga River, on September 7, 1822. With Brazil's independence declared, the country became a monarchy with the coronation of D. Peter I.

Also access:5 fun facts about Brazil's independence process

Causes of Independence

In 1808, D. João VI and the Portuguese royal family moved to Rio de Janeiro.[1]

The independence of Brazil was declared in 1822 and this event is directly related to events that started in 1808, the year in which the Portuguese royal family, fleeing the French troops that invaded Portugal, moved to Brazil.

THE arrival of the royal family in Brazilbrought about a series of changes that contributed to commercial development, and, ultimately, made Brazil's independence possible. In addition, Brazil has experimented, in its centers, a major development resulting from a series of measures implemented by D. João VI, King of Portugal.

Installed in Rio de Janeiro, the Portuguese king authorized theopening of ports Brazilians to friendly nations, allowed trade between Brazilians and British as prominent measures in the economic sphere.

Other prominent measures are highlighted by journalist Chico Castro:

“He took steps, one year after his arrival, so that there was interest in Brazilian education and literature in public education, opening vacancies for teachers. It installed a lottery in Bahia to raise funds for the completion of the city's theater works; he ordered the establishment in Pernambuco of the chair of Integral Calculus, Mechanics and Hydromechanics and a course in Mathematics for the captaincy's students of Artillery and Engineering; exempted from the payment of entry rights to Brazilian customs for raw materials to be manufactured in any province and created, for the first time in the country, a regular English language course at the Military Academy of Rio de January"|1|.

These and other measures that were taken by the Portuguese king demonstrated a clear intention to modernize the country as part of a proposal to make Brazil stop being just a colony portuguese, becoming, in fact, an integral part of the Kingdom of Portugal. This was confirmed when, on December 16, 1815, D. João VI decreed the elevation of Brazil to part of the United Kingdom.

This, in practice, meant that Brazil ceased to be a colony and became an integral part of the Portuguese Kingdom, which was now called the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and Algarves. This measure was important for Brazil and, according to historians Lilia Schwarcz and Heloísa Starling, the measure was aimed at The main thing is to prevent Brazil from following the path of revolutionary fragmentation – as had happened in the relationship between the US and England|2|.

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The presence of the royal family in Brazil had provided great advances, but still, demonstrations of dissatisfaction happened through the Pernambuco Revolution of 1817. The move of the royal family to Brazil had resulted in a large increase in taxes and had directly interfered with the administration of the captaincy.

The Pernambuco Revolution of 1817 was violently repressed. Three years after this repression, the king D. João VI had to deal with dissatisfaction in Portugal that manifested itself in Porto Liberal Revolution of 1820. This was the starting point of Brazil's independence process.

Portugal was experiencing a strong crisis, both political and economic, as a result of the French invasion. In addition, there was strong dissatisfaction in Portugal due to the transformations that were happening in Brazil, especially with the economic freedom that Brazil had conquered with the measures of D. John VI.

The Liberal Revolution of Porto broke out in 1820 and was organized by the Portuguese bourgeoisie inspired by liberal ideals. One of the great goals of the Portuguese was the king's return to Portugal. In the view of the Portuguese bourgeoisie, Portugal should be the seat of the Portuguese Empire.

Another important demand of the Portuguese was the requirement to reestablish trade monopoly over Brazil. This requirement caused great dissatisfaction in Brazil, since it demonstrated the intention of the Portuguese to remain with the colonial ties in relation to Brazil. The Portuguese king, pressured by events in his country, decided to return to Portugal on April 26, 1821.

On D. João VI, about four thousand people returned to Portugal. The Portuguese king, in addition, took to Portugal a large amount of gold and diamonds that were in the vaults of Banco do Brasil. With the return of D. João VI, Pedro de Alcântara became regent of Brazil.

Brazil's independence process

With the independence of Brazil, D. Pedro was crowned Emperor of Brazil.[2]

Brazil's independence process happened, in fact, during Pedro de Alcântara's regency in Brazil. The Portuguese Cortes (an institution that emerged with the Porto Revolution) took some measures that were quite unpopular here, such as the requirement to transfer the main institutions created during the Joanine Period to Portugal, sending more troops to Rio de January and the requirement for the prince regent to return to Portugal.

These measures, together with the intransigence of the Portuguese, during negotiations with Brazilian representatives, and the disrespectful treatment in relation to the Brazil made the resistance of Brazilians to the Portuguese to increase, and reinforced the idea of ​​separation in some parts of Brazil, such as in Rio de January. The requirement for the return of D. Pedro to Portugal resulted in a instant reaction in Brazil.

In December 1821, the order came demanding the return of D. Pedro to Portugal and, as a result, the Resistance Club emerged. In January 1822, during a Senate hearing, a document with more than 8 thousand signatures was delivered to D. Peter. This document required the Prince Regent to remain in Brazil.

Supposedly motivated by this, D. Pedro spoke words that have entered the country's history: “As it is for the good of all and the general happiness of the nation, I am ready; tell the people i stay”|3|. Historians are not sure if these words were actually spoken by D. Peter. Anyway, this event marked the day of stay. Historians claim that, in January 1822, there was still a desire in many in remain the link with Portugal.

The succession of events in the following months were responsible for inciting a break with Portugal in Brazil, since, as mentioned, this was not true in January 1822. During the independence process, two people had great influence on decision making of D. Peter:

• his wife, MariaLeopoldine, and

• José Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva.

The break was increasingly evident with some measures approved in Brazil. In May 1822, the "Fulfill yourself", a measure that determined that the laws and orders decreed in Portugal would only be valid in Brazil with the approval of the Prince Regent. The following month, in June, the call for election to the formation of a Constituent Assembly in Brazil.

These measures reinforced the progressive separation between Brazil and Portugal, since the orders of Portugal would no longer be valid here as determined by the “Fulfillment” and, in addition, the drafting of a new Constitution for the country was outlined, with the call of a Constituent.

The relationship of the Portuguese Cortes with the Brazilian authorities remained irreconcilable and harmful to the interests of Brazilians. On August 28, 1822, orders from Lisbon arrived in Brazil with the message that the return of D. Pedro to Portugal should be immediate. Furthermore, the end of a series of measures in force in Brazil was announced. and taken by the Portuguese as “privileges”, and the ministers of D. Peter was accused of treason.

The order, read by Maria Leopoldina, convinced her of the need to break with Portugal and, on September 2, organized an extraordinary session, signed a declaration of independence and sent it to D. Pedro who was on a trip to São Paulo. the messenger, called Paulcheesy, reached the entourage of D. Pedro, at the height of São Paulo, when they were close to the Ipiranga River.

At the time, D. Pedro I was suffering from intestinal problems (which its specific origin is unknown). The Prince Regent read all the news and ratified the independence order with a cry on the banks of the Ipiranga River, as recorded in official history. Currently, historians do not have evidence to prove Ipiranga's cry.

The 7th of September did not end Brazil's independence process. This process followed with a war of independence and in the following months important events took place, such as the Acclaim of D. Pedro as Emperor of Brazil on October 12th, and yours coronation that happened on December 1st.

Also access:How many coups have taken place in Brazil since its independence?

Brazil's war of independence

Unlike what many believe, Brazil's independence was not peaceful. With the declaration of independence, a number of regions in Brazil demonstrated their dissatisfaction and rebelled against the independence process. These were “non-adherent” movements, that is, movements that erupted in provinces that did not adhere to the independence process and that remained loyal to Portugal.

You four major centers of resistance against Brazil's independence took place in the following provinces:

• For,

• Bahia,

• Maranhão and

• Cisplatin (current Uruguay).

Military campaigns took place in these locations, and the fights against forces that did not adhere to independence extended until 1824. To learn more about it, read this text: Brazil's war of independence.

Consequences of Brazil's independence

Among the consequences of Brazil's independence process, the following can be mentioned:

• Emergence of Brazil as an independent nation;

• Construction of “Brazilian” nationality;

• Establishment of a monarchy in the Americas (the only one on the continent together with the Haitian and Mexican ones);

• Indebtedness of Brazil through a payment of 2 million pounds as indemnity to the Portuguese.

Summary about the independence of Brazil

• During the Joanine Period, modernizing measures were implemented in Brazil.

• In 1815, Brazil was elevated to the status of United Kingdom and, thus, Brazil ceased to be a colony.

• In 1820, the Liberal Revolution of Porto was initiated in Portugal and demanded the return of the Portuguese king.

• With the return of D. João VI for Portugal, D. Pedro was placed as regent of Brazil.

• The Portuguese courts demanded the repeal of the measures implemented in Brazil and the return of the Prince Regent.

• During the “Day of the Fico”, D. Pedro declared that he would remain in Brazil.

• In “Fulfillment”, it was determined that the Portuguese orders would only be carried out in Brazil with the approval of D. Peter.

• The cry for independence – if in fact it happened – took place on the banks of the Ipiranga River, on September 7, 1822.

• On October 12, 1822, D. Pedro was acclaimed emperor and on December 1, 1822 he was crowned D. Peter I.

• There were conflicts after the declaration of independence, in Bahia, Pará, Maranhão and Cisplatina.

Grades

|1| CASTRO, Chico. The Night of Bottles. Brasília: Federal Senate, 2013, p. 33 and 34.
|2| SCHWARCZ, Lilia Moritz and STARLING, Heloisa Murgel. Brazil: a biography. São Paulo: Companhia das Letras, 2015, p. 189.
|3| Idem, p. 212.

Image credits

[1] StockPhotosArt / Shutterstock

[2] Georgios Kollides / Shutterstock

By Daniel Neves Silva
History teacher