History+Of+Brazil

History Of Brazil

==Brazil was formally discovered by Portuguese explorer Pedro Alvares Cabral in 1500. However, in 1494 the Pope, in an attempt to avoid conflict between the then-major empires of Spain and Portugal, divided South America into an eastern and western portion. Portugal would take the eastern portion and Spain was given the western. The eastern portion that Portugal colonized would later become Brazil. ==
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==Brazil would gain their independence much different then that of the Spanish countries in South America. While the Spanish countries rebelled against Spain, Brazil owes its independence to Napoleon's army invading Portugal in 1807. The Portuguese court was moved to Brazil for protection. Joao VI, the leader of Portugal at the time, enjoyed the colony so much that he raised it from colony to kingdom status and stayed in Rio de Janeiro long after the Napoleonic threat was over. The British finally persuaded Joao VI to return to Portugal, however he left his son Pedro I as his regent. Shortly after, in 1822, Pedro I proclaimed Brazil's independence, and the Portuguese prince became Brazil's first monarch as Dom Pedro I. ==

==Dom Pedro I would leave the country in 1831 to go back to Europe. He left behind his 5 year old son and heir to the throne. Dom Pedro I left the throne to his sister Isabella Maria as regent. Because of an unstable and almost anarchical regency, Dom Pedro II was prematurely declared of age to rule. Over his 58 year rule, Pedro II won three international wars and abolished slavery in the country. Around the end of his life, Dom Pedro decided that he would be the last monarch to rule. When the large military coup of slave owners angered by the abolishing of slavery, threatened to overthrow the government he did nothing to stop it. The monarchy was overthrown in 1889. ==

== The next forty years was full of rebellions and civil wars until 1930 when Getulio Vargas led a coup on the Brazilian government. He assumed emergency powers and ruled as a dictator complete with torture, censorship, and even internment camps. During world war II, Brazil would join the axis powers under Vargas's rule. After the war, and and end to fascist leaders, Vargas was overthrown and Democracy was reinstated. Vargas would be elected to office after the first president's term was up. However, he was unable to rule democratically and committed suicide. ==

==After a back and forth period of democracy and military takeovers, it was not until1985 when Brazil would return to democracy for good with the election of Jose Sarney. However, he quickly became unpopular due to Brazil's poor economic stability. In 1989 Fernando Collor was elected president. He was however impeached and succeeded by vice-president Itmar Franco. Fernando Henrique Cardoso was appointed as minister of Finance. It was Cardoso who developed Plano Real. This financial plan finally gave Brazil the economic stability they were so long in need for. Cardoso was eventually elected president in 1994 and again in 1998. Luis Inacio Lula da Silva was elected after Cardoso's terms were up. He remains president today. ==