Past events Brazil timeline

  • 1500

    1500

    Pedro Cabral claimed Brazil. explorer Pedro Cabral lands in Brazil and claims it for Portugal.
  • Period: 1500 to

    1500-1700

  • 1530

    1530

    An expedition lead by Martim Alfanso de Sousa-this marks the first settlement in Brazil.
  • 1549

    1549

    Tome de Sousa sailed to Brazil to establish a central government. De Sousa brought along Jesuits, who wanted to teach people. They saved colonization.
  • 1555

    1555

    French forces occupy Rio De Janeiro. Later on Portugal regains control and establishes the city of Rio de Janeiro.
  • 1555

    1556

    The first sugarcane farm was established. they began to import slaves from Africa.
  • 1654

    Dutch withdraw from Brazil. After several years of war with the Portuguese, the Dutch withdrew.
  • 1695

    Gold is discovered in Brazil.
  • Period: to

    1700-1850

  • 1705

    Portugal gives up Colonia de Sacramento in Treaty of Utrecht. Aka Spanish Succession.
  • 1727

    Coffee is brought to Brazil! This is big for Brazil because it will bring in a bunch of money.
  • 1798

    The Minas Conspiracy fails. The Minas Conspiracy was inspired by the U.S. Revolution, but fell down. They wanted to have freedom.
  • 1807

    France invades Portugal. John VI goes to Brazil with his family and his son Pedro.
  • 1815

    Brazil becomes part of the Portuguese Kingdom called The United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves.
  • 1822

    Pedro I makes Portugal Independent. Pedro refuses to obey the Cortes.
  • 1824

    Pedro I writes the first Brazilian Constitution.
  • 1841

    Pedro II has his coronation to become king at the age of 6. (Disastrous, I know.)
  • Period: to

    1850-1950

  • 1865-1870

    South America’s War of the Triple Alliance saw Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay aligned against Paraguay.
  • 1865 - 1875

    After the American Civil War some southerners moved to Brazil (slavery is still permitted in Brazil)
  • 1888

    Slavery is abolished in Brazil.
  • 1889

    In Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Emperor Dom Pedro II was overthrown.
  • 1931

    The Rio de Janeiro 98-foot statue of Christ the Redeemer was unveiled atop Corcovado Mountain.
  • 1932

    Brazilian women win the right to vote.
  • 1942

    Brazil declared war on the Axis powers
  • 1945

    Vargas is deposed by the military in a surprise coup.
  • 1950

    Vargas is democratically elected as President. He then nationalizes Brazil’s natural resources.
  • Period: to

    1950-Present

  • 1954

    Vargas faces another coup. He declared that he would “only leave the presidential palace dead” then he steps down and dies.
  • 1960

    In order to centralize the power and not favor a region, the capital was moved to Brasilia.
  • 1964

    Humberto Castelo Branco, who from 1964- 1967 served as a military dictator. There was a slow move toward liberal democracy.
  • 1985

    civilian government was restored. This was the beginning of the New Republic.
  • 1989 - 2015

    Brazil has its first successful presidential election by direct popular vote. Fernando Collor was the first president by direct vote.
  • 2010

    the first female president, Dilma Rousseff, was elected for Brazil.