History of Brazilian nationality History of Brazilian nationality Located in South America, Brazil is the fifth largest and fifth most populous nation in the world. First discovered by Portuguese explorer Pedro Álvares Cabral on April 22, 1500, it remained a Portuguese colony until it declared its independence on September 7, 1822. Brazil's economy was largely based on agriculture and mining; specifically the production of sugar and tobacco for export. As a result, land was concentrated in the hands of relatively few wealthy, plantation-owning families, and production was largely dependent on slave labor. The intermixing of these Europeans and Blacks, as well as the native
Pedro II of Brazil in the Paraguayan War upon the Brazilian province of Rio Grande do Sul. News of the Paraguayan invasions was received with surprise both by the Brazilian government and public. Brazil had previously discounted the war-making potential of neighboring Paraguay. Pedro II, along with most Brazilians, was infuriated at what were seen as unjustified attacks and felt that punitive measures were justified in response. This resolve was strengthened by the Emperor's general antipathy towards all "caudillos"—dictators who were common elsewhere in Latin America. Nevertheless, Pedro II tried to pacify the nation in a speech from the throne on 6 May 1865 during which he addressed