Brazil

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Brazil, is a country in South America. It is the fifth-largest country by geographical area in the world and is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean on the east, with a coastline of over 7,367 kilometres. It borders Venezuela, Suriname, Guyana and the department (colony) of French Guiana to the north, Uruguay to the south, Argentina and Paraguay to the southwest, Bolivia and Peru to the west, and Colombia to the northwest. Numerous archipelagos are part of the Brazilian territory, such as Penedos de São Pedro e São Paulo, Fernando de Noronha, Trindade e Martim Vaz and Atol das Rocas.

Brazil is cut through by the Equator and Tropic of Capricorn and is home to varied fauna and flora, as well as extensive natural resources. The Brazilian population tends to concentrate along the coastline in large urban centers. Brazil is the fifth most populous country, and the fourth most populous democracy in the world. Its population density is nevertheless low and the inner continental land has large areas of low population. The country's population in 2022 stood at 26,551,550.[1] The official language is Portuguese and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion.

Brazil was a colony of Portugal from 1500 until its independence in 1822, when it became an independent Portuguese Empire with its own monarch. In 1889 the republican system was adopted, although its parliament dates back to 1824, when the first constitution was ratified. Its current Constitution now defines Brazil as a Federal Republic. The Federation is formed by the indissoluble association of the States, the Federal District, and the Municipalities. There are currently 26 States and 5,564 Municipalities.

Despite its important Empire during the Peter II's reign, during the twentieth century Brazil witnessed a big degradation of societal and cultural values. The Roman Catholic church lost the power and influence that it once had, and the traditionalist and religion orientated population become some of the most degenerate in the world, making Brazil famous for its carnivals, prostitution, no morals and violence. Althought the Jewish population is very small, they own the media almost completely. The U.S.A. and the IMF also have large control of Brazil. There is a big economic and social difference between states, and in urban areas are big social inequalities, with neighbourhoods divided. The government and public administration is famous for dishonesty, corruption, and public wasting of money.

History

Prehistory

Probably the first inhabitants of Brazil were australoid as is demonstrate by a fossil called Luzia, the oldest found in America[2] . The solutrean hypothesis also argues that caucasoids have reached America before the asians. When the Portuguese arrived in Brazil, the Indians who lived there were of Asian origin who may have come more recently and exterminated the peoples who inhabited America before.

Discovery

The territory of Brazil was officially discovered by Portuguese navigator Pedro Álvares Cabral on 22 April of 1500. Before him, another Portuguese navigator called Duarte Pacheco Pereira reached Brazil in 1498, and a Spanish captain, Vicente Yáñez Pinzón, on 26 January of 1500.

The Brazilian territory was then was divided into twelve hereditary captaincies. Initially the settlements were on the coast especially where the cultivation of sugar cane was the main economic activity. This also began the period of slavery, Africans that were already slaves in their native continent were purchased and brought across the south Atlantic Ocean to Brazil.

Then, the bandeirantes, explorers from São Paulo began to explore the countryside, and expanded the territory beyond the limits of the Treaty of Tordesillas. During these expeditions, they discovered gold, which was decisive for the settlement of the countryside in Brazil.

Between 1580 and 1640, Portugal together with its colonies became part of Spain, so Brazil was also under Spanish rule in this period. From 1630 to 1654, the Dutch established a settlement in north-east Brazil (at the time the north portion on Brazil) what was called New Holland.

Independence and empire

On September 7, 1822, Dom Pedro de Alcântara proclaimed the independence of Brazil from the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and Algarves, and founded the Empire of Brazil, being crowned as Emperor Dom Pedro I. He reigned until 1831, when he abdicated and passed the Brazilian Crown to his son, Dom Pedro de Alcântara junior, who was only five years old. At fourteen, in 1840, Dom Pedro de Alcantara declared his majority, being crowned emperor the following year, as Dom Pedro II of Brazil. The new emperor partially extinguished the slave trade in 1850. Gradually, European immigrants replaced the slaves. In 1888, the Princess Imperial of Brazil, Don Isabel de Braganza, daughter of Dom Pedro II, signed the Golden Law, which finally abolished slavery in Brazil.

On November 15, 1889 the monarchy was overthrown and the Proclamation of the Republic was made by by Marshal Manuel Deodoro da Fonseca (a freemason) which continued until 1930, when Getúlio Vargas came to power.

Twentieth century

During World War II Brazil was forced by the U.S.A. to declare war against the Axis powers, countries that until this time had always been friendly and were a model for the Brazilian government and society. During this time, most of the immigrants were from the Axis nations, and the government were by consequence forced to persecute and intern these people. Foreign languages were forbidden to be taught or spoken. Police placed cities like German-speaking Blumenau under martial law. Italians found it easier to adapt because of their similar language and culture, while the Japanese were isolated. Many Japanese were interned.[3]

National Socialism

National Socialism in Brazil was practiced by the Brazilian section of the NSDAP, founded in 1928 in Timbó (Santa Catarina state) but became proscribed by the authorities in 1938 due to anti-German sentiment. It was the biggest National Socialist Party outside Germany.

Society

Brazil had a large importation of Negro slaves. A lack of White women contributed to extensive race mixing with Amerindians and negroes. In the 19th century Brazil encouraged immigration of large numbers of Europeans in order to make Brazil more White. There was, however, little assimilation/integration between the different immigrant groups and other groups. After 1930, various enforced measures attempted to change this, including the implementation of ethnic immigration quotas, which caused further large-scale immigration of Whites to cease. More recently, affirmative action, anti-White education in schools, and other similar measures have been implemented, contributing to White flight from Brazil.[4][5]

The South is My Country movement is one example of support for the independence of Brazil's southern, wealthier, and more White states. This can be seen as a form of White flight.[6] There is widespread racial segregation in neighborhoods. This also applies to persons having similar incomes and also between negroes and Mulattoes.[7] A 2015 article stated:

"For many Americans, Brazil means Rio de Janeiro, carnivals, pretty women, and a mixed-race land with no racial tension. This makes Brazil a potential model for the United States: 'Immigration from the Third World will enrich us and miscegenation will make us one'. In fact, Brazil is a nation of low average intelligence, very high crime rates, an aversion to work, and widespread corruption."[4]

German Brazilian

A German Brazilian (German: Deutschbrasilianer, Portuguese: teuto-brasileiro or germano-brasileiro; also: alemão) is a Brazilian person of ethnic German ancestry or origin. German Brazilians live across the entire country, although the overwhelming percentage is found in the country's Southern Region, mainly in the states of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina, with lesser but still significant degree in the Southeast Region. German dialects together make up the second most spoken language in Brazil. A few Brazilian municipalities have Brazilian Hunsrückisch and Germanic Pomeranian as co-official languages with Portuguese. These are also located in Southern Brazil, and Espírito Santo. About 12 million Brazilians have at least some German heritage, with 1.5 million speaking German.

See also

External links

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References