Many reasons led to the coup d’état in 1889, and it is no secret that Dom Pedro II was the greatest statesman Brazil ever had. He spoke multiple languages, was highly educated, and had a penchant for innovation and technology. At the international fair in the United States, he was the one who received the first telephone call from Graham Bell, drawing the world’s attention to this great inventor. He was someone who loved inventions.
The origin of the name “Brazil” is a complex story that dates back to the early encounters between Europeans and native peoples in the newly discovered lands. The word has its roots in the term “pau-brasil,” a valuable tree found in the region and exploited by the Portuguese. The exploitation of pau-brasil was so significant that it ended up giving its name to the country, which came to be called the “Land of Brazil.” This name was officially established with the arrival of the first Governor-General of Brazil, Tomé de Sousa, in 1549. The linguistic, cultural, and historical influence of these events continues to this day, making “Brazil” an iconic name that represents the nation and its rich heritage.
The last photograph of Joaquim Nabuco (1849-1910), taken in Washington, United States, appeared in the Brazilian magazine “Fon Fon” shortly before his death in 1910.
Dom Pedro I, the first monarch of the Empire of Brazil, was born in Lisbon in 1798 as the fourth child of King Dom João VI and Queen Carlota Joaquina. When French troops invaded Portugal, the royal family fled to Brazil in 1808. Dom Pedro I became the prince regent of Brazil and faced challenges, including threats from revolutionaries and insubordinate Portuguese troops. With the Liberal Revolution of Porto in 1820, Dom João VI returned to Portugal in 1821, leaving Dom Pedro as the regent of Brazil. Faced with Portugal’s attempt to revoke Brazil’s political autonomy, Dom Pedro I proclaimed Brazil’s independence on September 7, 1822. He died in Lisbon in 1834.
Baron of Mauá, whose real name was Irineu Evangelista de Sousa, was a prominent figure in 19th-century Brazilian history. He played a significant role in the economic and industrial development of the country. The childhood of Irineu Evangelista de Sousa, better known as Baron of Mauá, is a fascinating and often overlooked chapter in the history of one of Brazil’s most prominent entrepreneurs and visionaries.
“Carlos Gomes’s Last Days,” a 1899 painting by Domenico de Angelis and Giovanni Capranesi.
On September 18, 1865, the surrender of the Paraguayan Lieutenant Colonel Antonio de la Cruz Estigarribia took place in the presence of Emperor Dom Pedro II of Brazil and the Presidents Bartolomé Mitre of Argentina and Venancio Flores in Rio Grande do Sul, thereby concluding the first phase of the Paraguayan War. Although the surrender could have marked the end of the conflict, Brazil insisted on the death of Solano López, prolonging the conflict further.
Brazil is a diverse country, not only in terms of geography and culture but also in its language. Brazilians have a wide variety of regional accents, which are shaped by different influences, such as cultural heritage, geography, and the history of each region. This linguistic diversity is a prominent feature of the country.
The National Monument to the Immigrant, inaugurated by President Getúlio Vargas in 1954 in Caxias do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul. Its cornerstone was laid in 1950 by President Eurico Gaspar Dutra. The construction was initiated by a community commission, which held a competition to determine the best project dedicated to honoring the Italian immigrants of the state.
On September 13, 1987, the radiological accident in Goiânia began, known as the Cesium-137 accident, a serious episode of radioactivity contamination in Brazil. The accident started when scrap metal collectors discovered a radiotherapy device containing Cesium-137, which they mistakenly believed to be scrap.
