The Role of Politics in the Abolition of Slavery in Brazil

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This paper exams the role of politics and economics in ending slavery in Brazil in the 19th century.

Transcript of The Role of Politics in the Abolition of Slavery in Brazil

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    Introduction

    Slavery was abolished in 1888 Lei urea, signed by Isabel, Princess Imperial of Brazil

    ha! were !he reasons behind Brazilian aboli!ion" Poli!ics

    #ecline of slavery economically Pressure from Bri!ain Slave resis!ance

    Sources

    Primary Sources Le!!ers be!ween $oa%uim &abuco and members of !he Bri!ish and 'oreign (n!i)Slavery

    Socie!ies Children of Gods Fire *11+ documen!s Slavery and the Demographic and Economic History of Minas Gerais, Brazil

    Bahian Co!nterpoint" S!gar, #o$acco, Cassava, and Slavery in the %econcavo, &'()*&(+)

    Early Timeline

    1-.. / Brazil colonized by Por!ugal

    1+!h

    0en!ury / Plan!ers began using (fricans ins!ead of &a!ives for slavery 18.8 / Por!ugal moved !he crown !o Brazil 18 / Brazil secedes2 es!ablishes !he 3mpire of Brazil

    Actions of the Government

    184 / Brazil5s firs! Prime 6inis!er, $os7 Bonifcio wri!es !he firs!condemna!ion of slavery 3nded !he slave !rade, bo!h legally and illegally in 18-1 189: / 18+., Paraguayan ar is said !o have undermined slavery, bu! i! also

    ;ep! !he governmen! from ac!ion because !hey were focused on !he war 189+ / 18+1 / ?io Branco Law / freed sons of slaves 1889 / Se@egenerian Law / freed slaves over 9. bu! also crea!ed a clause

    similar !o !he 'ugi!ive Slave (c!

    Sentiments of Slavery in the Government

    188. / &abuco wri!es a le!!er saying !ha! !he ?io Branco Law is !rulyineffec!ive

    1881 / &abuco wri!es !ha! !he slave s!rongholds in ?io de $aneiro and SaoPaulo con!rol !he governmen!

    188- / &abuco is elec!ed !o Parliamen! and feels confiden! in emancipa!iondrawing near

    188- / &abuco realizes !ha! !he governmen! is dragging i!s fee! in ending

    slavery2 opposi!ion is s!ill abound

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    Abolition of the Slave Trade

    Pressure from !he Bri!ish #id i! really wor;"

    Slave !rade legally ended in 184.

    6os! nor!hern s!a!es began e@por!ing !heir slaves !o !he sou!h as prices rose Sou!hern s!a!es such as Sao Paulo and 6inas Aerais prospered s!ill

    (boli!ion of !he Slave =rade 18:)18-. / Bri!ain begins ignoring Brazilian sovereign!y and aggressively

    a!!ac;ing slave ships and bloc;ing por!s 18-1 / Brazilian governmen! reluc!an!ly began bloc;ing !he slave !rade Slave popula!ion declined dras!ically Bu! did !his ;ill slavery"

    6inas Aerais and Sao Paulo s!ill had a !hriving economy buil! on coffee

    =he coffee producing s!a!es s!ill fough! hard agains! !he aboli!ion of slaveryand were able !o con!rol mos! of !he sea!s in Parliamen!

    So What Changed?

    =he Paraguayan ar &o! an ins!ance of aboli!ionis! feelings or sen!imen!s in !he officer corp, many of !hem

    owned slaves Slaves began using mili!ary service as a way !o escape !heir mas!ersC

    Some would lie and say !hey weren5! fugi!ives if !heir mas!ers !ried !o reclaim !hem

    =he s!a!e of Sao Paulo played a large role (round 1889 slaves began leaving in droves

    Police and mili!ary were sen! !o recap!ure slaves bu! no!hing could be done Sensing !ha! slavery would end soon in Sao Paulo, wi!h or wi!hou! Parliamen!,

    plan!ers abandoned !he sys!em Dp!ed !o crea!e service con!rac!s before !heir slaves lef!

    Paulis!a plan!ers also began !o see !he cheapness of free labor Sao Paulo had begun seeing an influ@ of 3uropean immigran!s

    6aEor Paulis!a poli!ical leaders began !o suppor! aboli!ion 6inas Aerais !oo; no!ice of !he Sao Paulo e@ample and also began offering

    condi!ional libera!ion

    Final Abolition

    ?io de $aneiro remained as !he las! opposi!ion !o emancipa!ion Poor plan!ers whose slaves were wor!h more !han !heir land 3ven!ually sec!ions of ?io were affec!ed

    i!h many slaves now free, open conflic! was brea;ing ou! across !he na!ionbe!ween runaways and slave owners !ha! s!ill held on

    Dfficials from ?io de $aneiro spo;e ou! agains! !he proposed law ofuncondi!ional libera!ion, bu! !hey were now alone

    Lei urea adop!ed on 6ay 14, 1888

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    Conclusion

    Fow did slavery in Brazil end" Aovernmen! ac!ion

    Slow

    Inefficien! ?iddles wi!h compromise

    Conclusion

    Fow did slavery in Brazil end" In!erna!ional influence

    =oo; !wo decades !o finally end !he slave !rade Fur! !he sys!em, bu! didn5! ;ill i!

    Conclusion

    Fow did slavery in Brazil end" 3conomic decline of slavery

    =rue in many provinces in !he &or!h =he weal!hies! s!a!es in !he Sou!h s!ill had slavery, however

    Conclusion

    Fow did slavery in Brazil end" ?esis!ance by slaves

    Inspired Sao Paulo, !he weal!hies! s!a!e, !o re!hin; slavery Several plan!ers began !o see !he good effec!s of freeing !heir slaves =he sen!imen!s spread un!il aboli!ionis!s finally ou!numbered !he opposi!ion