11 Jan 2012
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Lecture 25 Jan 10, 2012
The Problem of Slavery in Brazil
•Slavery and liberalism do not work together
•1820: Brazil had a monarchy government with an emperor
○Constitutional monarchy – modern
•Brazil had different groups
○Extremists and those that support the monarchy
○Groups basically formed by people who have an education (know about
politics, have ideas)
•Emperor Dom Pedro II – liberal, emperor since childhood
○Opposes slave trade
○2 different issues presented: slave trade and slavery itself
•Slave trade – should it be allowed or not?
•1810: Portuguese signed commercial treaty with British
○Favours Britain because it opens markets to them and gives them
much cloud over Brazil’s politics
○British want to end slave trade because of moral and economic reasons
Moral – slavery does not align with liberal ideas
Economic – creates competition; need workers that are paid so
they can use that income to purchase other things
•Decision: north of equator banned slave trade
○Sugar producing areas are affected because they’re located in the N
More competition for sugar
Coffee producing areas located in the S
○Emperor agrees
○Brazil government is not strong enough to end slave trade because
there is too much benefits for Brazilians
○Emperor promises numerous times to limit number of slaves being
traded
•Coffee becomes in great demand
○Royal Biotechnical Garden brought to increase growth
○Enough labour because mines are in decline – workers can be
transported where needed
Slaves allowed because located south of equator
•Nationalist factor pushing Brazil to end slave trade by Britain
•1831: Brazil forced emperor to ratify slave trade
○Brazil banned slave trade to appease Britain
People purchase many slaves when discovering that slave trade
will end (people stock up on slaves)
Very lucrative
•Brazil economy cannot grow because it cannot compete
•1835: slave revolt in Bahia
○Bringing too many slaves in country, people believe that their country
is becoming an African nation
•1845: Brazil refused another agreement with Britain (Aberdeen Act)
○Act entitles British to capture any slave ships and take people to court
and try them
○International waters
○British start entering Brazilian water for captures
○Result: Brazil has had enough of trade agreements
•1850: Queiroz Law
○Allowed slavery to continue but does not permit the incoming of new,
external slaves
Allowed slaves to be traded within Brazil