HIST 3860 Colonial Brazil

The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the foundational period of contemporary Brazil. It examines the peculiar pattern of Portuguese colonial expansion in the Americas and its social, political, economic, and cultural impact on the Tupinamba and Aimore indigenous population of coastal Brazil. The course also analyzes the rise of African slavery in Brazil as a direct consequence of native labor shortages in the production of sugar. Most of the course, however, focuses on the interactions, exchanges, and transformations of Brazil’s diverse populations and social groups from the sixteenth century to 1822. Particular attention is paid to the way in which the Portuguese colonial heritage impacted Brazil’s emergence as a modern nation-state after independence in 1822. Prerequisite(s): HIST 1010 OR HIST 1020 OR HIST 1030 OR HIST 1040 OR HIST 1050
Credits: 3.0