The history of Brazil - Summary on a Map

Aug 9, 2023

The history of Brazil - Summary on a Map

The history of Brazil, from the first explorations of Portugal at the end of the 15th century, until today.
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Support the channel on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/geohistory
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English translation \u0026 voiceover: Matthew Bates https://www.epicvoiceover.com/
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Original French version:    • L’histoire du Brésil - Résumé sur cartes
Russian version:    • Бразилия - история на карте
Arabic version: Coming soon
Spanish version: Coming soon
Portuguese version (Brazil): Coming soon
Japanese version:    • ブラジルの歴史
Korean version: Coming soon
German version: Coming soon
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Music: Malandragem - Quincas Moreira
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Software: Adobe After Effects
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Chapters
00:00 Portuguese discovery
01:30 Portuguese colonization
03:17 The Iberian Union
04:47 The gold of Brazil
06:23 Independence of Brazil
07:57 The Empire of Brazil
10:12 The Coffee Republic
12:05 Birth of modern Brazil
13:38 The military dictatorship in Brazil
15:09 Democratic Brazil

#geohistory #history #brazil

Content

0.3 -> We start in 1481 in Portugal.

3.49 -> The new king John II takes advantage of the creation of the caravel,

8.486 -> a more maneuverable ship able to take on the oceans,

11.836 -> to accelerate explorations along the African coasts in search of new commercial routes.

17.335 -> The Spanish monarchies follow suit, exploring westward and reaching the coasts of America.

23.656 -> Portugal and Spain then agree to share the new world by drawing a meridian

28.336 -> 370 leagues west of the Cape Verde Islands.

32.352 -> Spain can claim the new lands discovered west of this meridian,

36.354 -> Portugal those to the east.

38.263 -> In 1497, Vasco da Gama crosses the Cape of Good Hope and enters the Indian Ocean,

44.786 -> opening a new route to the rich spice trade.

48.038 -> Two years later, Pedro Álvarez Cabral in turn goes to the Indies.

52.872 -> After leaving the Cape Verde Islands, the expedition moves away from the coast of Africa

57.989 -> in order to take advantage of the sea currents

60.735 -> and discovers new lands located east of the Meridian of Tordesillas.

65.078 -> The coasts are inhabited by the Tupi-Guaraní,

68.572 -> semi-nomadic people who practice agriculture,

71.935 -> while the interior of the land is populated by hunter-gatherer societies.

76.772 -> The Portuguese discover a tree whose wood color is red like an ember, or “brasa” in Portuguese.

84 -> The tree is then called the brazilwood, and will give the name Brazil to the new colony.

93.611 -> The Portuguese quickly found trading posts to exploit brazilwood,

98.154 -> which is used to produce dyes for the textile industry.

101.596 -> The indigenous peoples cut and supply this wood in exchange for weapons and European products.

107.756 -> As the explorations continue, more and more trading posts, called feitorias, are founded.

113.62 -> However, apart from brazilwood, no other resource interest the Portuguese colonists,

119.3 -> who turn instead to spices from Asia, and gold and slaves from Africa.

124.593 -> The Portuguese king then tries to accelerate the colonization of Brazil by dividing the territory into “captaincies”,

131.897 -> and by offering land to Portuguese settlers who are called “Donatário”.

136.419 -> At first, only Pernambuco is of interest because the climate there is ideal for growing sugar cane,

143.373 -> sugar being an expensive and prized resource in Europe.

147.409 -> In 1549, the Portuguese king creates the Governorate of Brazil,

151.967 -> and appoints Tomé de Sousa as the first governor.

155.495 -> The latter leaves to Brazil, and founds the new capital Salvador.

160.009 -> In addition, Portugal sends Jesuits to convert the indigenous peoples to Catholicism.

165.597 -> They move inland, but spread deadly European diseases, to which the locals are not immune.

172.161 -> Further south, the French attempt an incursion by founding a colony called “France Antarctique”.

178.495 -> But they are chased away by the Portuguese,

181.126 -> who then settle in the same bay and found Rio de Janeiro.

185.166 -> In the north of the colony, sugar cane cultivation develops rapidly,

189.524 -> which leads to a lack of manpower.

191.939 -> Portugal then compensates for this shortage by importing slaves from Africa.

201.84 -> In 1580, after the death of King Henry I,

204.735 -> King Philip II of Spain claims and then seizes the Portuguese throne,

209.756 -> founding the Iberian Union.

212.081 -> While Portugal retains some autonomy,

214.77 -> it is now challenged by increasing competition from the rising powers of Western Europe,

220.222 -> such as the United Provinces, France, and England, which take over its colonies around the world.

226.191 -> In 1612, French troops land in the very north of Brazil to found St. Louis, but again they are driven out.

234.147 -> A few years later, the Dutch briefly seize Salvador.

237.857 -> At the same time, around São Paulo, large wheat plantations are being developed.

243.475 -> The colonists then organize expeditions into the land

246.926 -> to capture indigenous people to exploit them on their plantations.

251.36 -> This causes tensions with the Jesuit communities that are looted and destroyed.

256.772 -> Further north, the Dutch succeed in settling in Pernambuco, where they found “Dutch Brazil”,

262.965 -> whose capital Recife is renamed Mauritsstad.

266.915 -> They extend their territory and develop sugar production.

270.774 -> In 1640 in Lisbon, an insurrection drives out the Spanish power.

276.126 -> Portugal regains all its autonomy, and tries to regain control of its colonies.

281.671 -> In 1654, the last Dutch are driven out of Brazil.

290.22 -> While Brazil is the largest sugar producer in the world,

293.876 -> competition is rising in the Caribbean, which cause prices to fall.

298.44 -> But from the end of the 17th century,

301.026 -> the colonists discover that the inland areas of southern Brazil are rich in gold,

306.886 -> which quickly attract many workers. Gold production explodes.

311.79 -> Annual maritime convoys are organized to bring the gold from Rio de Janeiro to Lisbon,

317.393 -> which attracts the interest of European powers.

320.508 -> During the War of the Spanish Succession, France organizes a military expedition against Rio de Janeiro.

327.172 -> The city is looted, and then liberated in exchange for a huge gold ransom,

332.712 -> which is brought back to France.

334.946 -> Later, diamonds are also discovered inland,

338.142 -> which further accelerate the colonization of the region

341.49 -> and pushes the Portuguese to explore further and further inland in search of new riches,

346.888 -> reaching the Spanish colonies.

349.162 -> To avoid border conflicts, Spain and Portugal agree in 1750 to establish a new border.

355.94 -> In 1763, as Brazil reaches its peak of gold production,

360.787 -> the center of power is moved south, and Rio de Janeiro becomes the new capital of Brazil.

367.116 -> In addition to gold and sugar, the colony tries to diversify its income by developing cotton production,

373.761 -> and then, gradually, coffee.

375.947 -> A large part of the exports end up going to the British ally, which starts its industrial revolution.

386.815 -> In France, Napoleon, who had seized power, dominates Europe.

391.119 -> Only the United Kingdom still resists him.

393.999 -> Napoleon then decides to impose a continental blockade, and to invade his greatest ally, Portugal.

401.535 -> A Franco-Spanish army enters the country,

404.123 -> forcing Crown Prince John to flee to Brazil with his family and the government.

409.143 -> In Rio de Janeiro, he strengthens the alliance with the United Kingdom

413.737 -> by opening its ports to increase trade.

416.71 -> In 1815, after the fall of Napoleon, the prince chooses to remain in Brazil

421.954 -> and to give the colony a status equivalent to Portugal

425.662 -> by creating the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil, and the Algarves.

430.686 -> Further south, in the Eastern Bank, Spain is challenged by independence movements.

435.897 -> Fearing that these would spread, the now King John VI decides to invade the territory.

441.79 -> But at the same time in Portugal, revolts break out for the return of the king to the country,

447.497 -> and for the establishment of a parliamentary monarchy.

451.04 -> John VI is forced to return to Lisbon,

453.672 -> but before doing so he appoints his son Peter as regent of Brazil during his absence.

459.629 -> In Lisbon, the new congress wants the return of Prince Peter to Portugal,

464.283 -> and the return of the status of colony for Brazil.

467.348 -> In reaction, on September 7, 1822,

471.232 -> Peter proclaims the independence of the Empire of Brazil and becomes its emperor.

480.611 -> In 1824, Portugal recognizes the independence of Brazil.

485.641 -> The new country sets up an electoral system which is reserved for the richest,

490.675 -> then quickly signs an alliance with the United Kingdom in order to maintain commercial privileges.

496.579 -> In addition, the United Kingdom is called in as a mediator to settle the conflict

501.143 -> between Brazil and the United Provinces of the Rio de la Plata over control of the Cisplatine Province.

508.041 -> In 1828, an agreement is reached,

510.892 -> and both countries recognize the independence of a buffer state that is called Uruguay.

516.425 -> In the following years, Brazil's economy becomes more and more dependent on the cultivation of coffee.

522.937 -> To increase production, the country continues to import slaves from Africa on a massive scale,

529.13 -> despite the ban on the transatlantic slave trade imposed by the European powers.

534.252 -> Finally, in 1850, after having imported 4 million slaves, the country abolishes the trade.

541.863 -> In Uruguay, since independence, many civil wars have torn the country apart.

547.011 -> In 1864, Brazil decides to intervene militarily, officially to restore peace.

553.396 -> The country allies itself with the camp of the Colorado Party, which opposes the Blanco Party, itself allied with Paraguay.

561.818 -> The latter then reacts by organizing raids on Brazil and violating Argentine territory to go and fight in Uruguay.

569.624 -> After the victory and the rise to power of the Colorado Party,

573.109 -> the latter allies itself with Brazil and Argentina to fight Paraguay.

577.856 -> A very deadly war follows, at the end of which Paraguay loses many territories.

583.86 -> In 1888, Brazil is the last country in America to abolish slavery.

589.121 -> 700,000 slaves are freed.

592.239 -> In the north of the country, a large part of the freed slaves continue to work in the fields for a meager salary,

598.845 -> while in the south, many migrate to working-class areas of the big cities.

603.26 -> Moreover, the landowners receive no compensation, which provokes their anger.

608.568 -> The Emperor is more and more contested.

615.54 -> On November 15, 1889, a military coup overthrows the Emperor, and proclaims the Republic of Brazil.

623.88 -> A new flag is created, and Manuel Deodoro da Fonseca becomes the first president of the country.

630.949 -> Coffee production is now so important that it accounts for more than half of the country's exports,

636.714 -> which supplies 3⁄4 of the world's coffee.

640.3 -> In addition, rubber production is expanding and drawing many workers far into Amazon lands.

646.64 -> Finally, São Paulo becomes the economic heart of the country.

650.775 -> The city attracts many migrants, mainly European, but also from the Ottoman Empire and Japan.

657.381 -> Meanwhile, Rio de Janeiro is modernized on the model of European cities.

662.458 -> The inhabitants of the working class neighborhoods are driven out and take refuge in the favelas on the hillsides.

669.318 -> In 1903, the new Minister of Foreign Affairs, who is nicknamed the Baron of Rio Branco,

675.549 -> obtains, in a diplomatic and peaceful manner, a Bolivian territory in the Amazon.

680.944 -> The following year he comes to another agreement with Ecuador,

684.84 -> and finally, in 1907, a third agreement is signed with Colombia.

689.309 -> In the years that follow, Brazil's economy encounters trouble,

693.352 -> particularly because of competition from Asian rubber,

696.656 -> which has been organized by the British,

699.194 -> who succeed in taking Hevea brasiliensis seeds from Brazil to develop plantations in Asia.

705.743 -> In 1929, the Wall Street Crash causes a worldwide depression,

710.758 -> which further depresses the Brazilian economy.

713.456 -> The price of coffee falls by 30% worldwide,

717.504 -> forcing Brazil to destroy a large part of its reserves

721.039 -> in order to try to maintain a decent price on the international market.

729 -> In 1930, the powerful regions of São Paulo and Minas Gerais,

733.691 -> which had previously been allied, clash in the elections.

737.459 -> After the victory of the candidate from São Paulo,

740.75 -> Getulio Vargas, who was defended by Minas Gerais, does not recognize his defeat,

746.656 -> and after a revolution and a military coup, seizes power.

750.926 -> On the one hand, he exercises an authoritarian and repressive power towards his opponents.

757.027 -> On the other hand, he launches reforms to modernize and industrialize the country.

762.381 -> His mandate marks the end of the white Brazil of the so-called “Coffee Republic”,

767.261 -> and the beginning of a popular and mixed race culture.

770.895 -> In 1931, the Christ the Redeemer statue is inaugurated in Rio de Janeiro.

776.629 -> The following year, voting becomes compulsory, including for women, but not yet for the illiterates.

783.549 -> In the following years, the country develops the aeronautical sector and begins to exploit oil on its territory.

790.613 -> During World War II, Brazilian merchant ships are attacked by German submarines.

795.494 -> In response, in 1942, Brazil declares war on Germany and Italy.

800.848 -> Approximately 25,000 Brazilian soldiers are sent to the fronts in Italy,

805.782 -> while 55,000 others are sent to the Amazon to harvest rubber to be supplied to the Allies.

811.738 -> After the Allied victory, in the context of the Cold War, Brazil moves closer to the American camp.

822.63 -> In 1960, President Kubitschek founds Brasília, a brand-new capital in the heart of the country.

829.077 -> The following year, Joao Goulart becomes president, after narrowly avoiding a military coup.

835.311 -> He reforms education to combat illiteracy, taxes multinationals whose headquarters are abroad,

841.967 -> and expropriates huge estates to redistribute land to farmers.

846.838 -> But in the midst of the Cold War, his policies do not please the United States,

851.635 -> which secretly supports a military coup.

854.333 -> General Castelo Branco becomes president, and is directly recognized by the United States.

861.302 -> The new regime establishes a military dictatorship.

864.973 -> The country opens up to foreign investment, which boosts the economy.

869.252 -> The Amazonian forest is more and more threatened,

872.307 -> on the one hand with the construction of the Trans-Amazonian road,

876.314 -> which is intended to facilitate the exploitation of the lands in the heart of the forest,

881.215 -> and on the other hand, in the south, with the development of immense plantations of soy,

886.706 -> which nibble at the Amazonian lands.

889.402 -> In the 1980s, Brazil begins a peaceful democratic transition.

893.781 -> In 1985, elections are held, and in 1988, a new constitution puts an end to the military regime.

902.416 -> Illiterate people now have the right to vote, and the ethnic and cultural diversity of the nation is recognized.

912.742 -> Quickly, the country undergoes an important inflation.

916.087 -> In 1994, after 38 different currencies in 2 centuries, the Real becomes the new official currency of the country.

923.087 -> The following year, the country signs a free trade treaty with Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay.

930.087 -> In 2002, Lula becomes the first president from the left-wing “Worker’s Party”.

936.002 -> He launches a series of reforms and programs designed to end poverty and hunger.

941.418 -> He also finances infrastructure in the favelas to improve the living conditions of the 12 million Brazilians living there.

949.131 -> In two mandates, he brings roughly 20 million Brazilians out of poverty.

954.676 -> Dilma Rousseff takes over, and continues the policy of her predecessor.

959.422 -> However, she is undermined by suspicions of corruption,

963.032 -> and by the enormous expenses incurred for the organization of the World Cup and the Olympic Games,

968.749 -> while the country's economy is deteriorating.

971.807 -> During her second term, the situation worsens, and she is impeached in 2016.

977.759 -> Two years later, Jair Bolsonaro, ultra conservative and nostalgic for the military dictatorship, comes to power.

985.523 -> In October 2022, after close elections, he is defeated by Lula,

991.067 -> who wins a third mandate as president.

993.616 -> Today, Brazil is a mixed nation, the result of migrations mainly from Europe,

999.043 -> slaves imported from Africa, and people present before the arrival of the Europeans.

1004.409 -> The history of the country, which is now one of the world's leading democracies,

1008.774 -> has always been closely linked to global developments and the need for natural resources.

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_6d5YVKhL0