1. The Portuguese Empire
Theme 3 (Part 1)
Kendra Lacasella
History of the Americas Online
October 26, 2011

2. History of Portugal
1400-1800
• In the 15th and 16th centuries
Portugal ascended into the
status of a world power, during
the “Age of Discovery”.
• It built a vast empire that
included possessions in South
America, Africa, Asia, and
Australia.
• But slowly after the 16th
century… Portugal began to
loose the status of a world
power and their decline
started. And after the death of
young King Sebastian it lead to
a dynastic crisis.

3. History of Portugal cont.
1400-1800
• July 25th, 1415: The • 1580- Crisis struck when
beginning of the Portuguese King Sebastian died in battle
Empire. with no heir.
• There was a period of – Shortly after this… the
discoveries (1415-1578) for Spanish and Portuguese
Empires came under one rule.
Portugal. They were a
– This is how Portugal slowly
leading power in the terms declined and lost the world
of economic, political, and power.
cultural influence.
– The discovered a trade
route with India
– And also they discovered
Brazil.

4. Portuguese Empire
• The Portuguese Empire • Age of Discovery
was the first global (1415-1542)
empire in history. – 1488: Bartolomeu
• It was also the longest- Dias rounded the
Cape of Good Hope
lived of the modern on the southern tip of
European colonial Africa.
empire. – At this same time
• It spanned for 6 PerodaCovilha
centuries. reached Ethiopia, and
a sea route to the
Indies would be
forthcoming.

5. Portuguese Empire cont.
• In 1534, John III • Then in 1755 Lisbon
organized the suffered from a terrible
colonization of Brazil earthquake that killed
through land grants. more than 100,000
• Then in 1663-1822 was people.
the Imperial decline.
– There were a loss of
colonies.
– Gold was discovered in a
Brazilian region.

6. Colonial Brazil
• The Sugarcane Cycle
• The economic (1530-1700)
exploration: – Sugar became the most
– Brazilwood extraction important Brazilian
(16th century) product until the early 18th
– Sugar Production (16th-18th century.
centuries) • The Gold cycle (18th
– Gold and diamond mining century)
(18th century) – Gold was used to pay for
goods (textiles and
weapons)
– Diamond deposits were
also found in 1729.

7. Colonial Brazil cont.
• Jesuit missons:
– Tome de Sousa (1st
governor of Brazil),
brought Jesuits to
convert the indigenous
peoples.
– They were then
converted to Catholicism
and brought and
understanding to the
language and culture.