In 1808, an event profoundly changed the Our Story: The Royal Family Leaves Portugal and comes to live in Brazil at the time just a colony. But there was a very strong reason for that . .
. At the beginning of the 19th century, the French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte wants to dominate Europe. England resists, and it requires that others countries to block trade with the British.
Portugal does not know what to do: break with England, loses its biggest partner and goes bankrupt. If it does not break, it is invaded by the French. In doubt, the prince-regent Dom João VI prefers not to risk his neck: he puts all its cut on some ships and it goes away to Brazil.
The royal family is a case in point: Owner Mary, the matriarch, was known as the Queen Crazy, and had hallucinations in public. Carlota Joaquina, wife of the facade of Dom John VI, was not exactly a synonym of beauty. Independent woman and skillful politics, conspired frequently against her husband to take the throne.
Rio de Janeiro receives royalty with a party, but the new arrivals face problems to adapt to a precarious city, without any urban structure. That is why a number of people are evicted of their homes, which now house the almost twelve thousand members of the royal entourage. Thousands of public jobs are created to support all these people, and the politics of favoring becomes a practice, with the traditional ritual of hand-kissing of Dom John VI.
Brazil opens the ports to England which in turn opens the coffers to Brazil, fueling our eternal external debt. But the money in circulation also brings improvements for the country, which of time, ceases to be a colony to become a kingdom. Rio de Janeiro wins the air of a wonderful city, with sanitation, sidewalks and buildings modern.
Trade and industry develop, the army and navy are equipped and education and culture flourish, with the creation of schools, theater and library public. Foreign missions visit Brazil and Renowned artists move here. With the defeat of Napoleon, things calm down in Portugal.
Dom João VI is called back, but leaves his son Dom Pedro I here. In 1822, Brazil became independent of Portugal, but remains dependent on the loans of England, of the slave system and of senhores de engenho And the Legislative power finally reaches the our lands: the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate are created by the first Constitution Brazilian, promulgated in 1824. Initially drafted by an Constituent, she has a curious history: the final text did not please the emperor Dom Pedro I, who, outraged, ended the Assembly, arrested and deported some Members and sent write another letter, inventing a fashion which would be imitated a few times in our history.
