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Anthem | "Hino Nacional Brasileiro" | ||||
Capital | Brasília | ||||
Largest city | São Paulo | ||||
Language | Portuguese | ||||
Religion | Roman Catholicism | ||||
Demonym | Brazilian | ||||
Established | September 7 1822 | ||||
Independence | from Portugal | ||||
Currency | Brazilian real |
History[]
Troubled Empire[]
Republic[]
The generals, supported by English weapons and troops, overthrew the monarchy in late 1889. Tired of economic stagnation and financial crises, the military decided to take matters into their own hands. While passing itself as a democracy, elections were rigged and oligarchies from the dominating states of São Paulo and Minas Gerais were the ones in charge, at the behest of the Army. The Army slowly began to increase its own power, eclipsing the church and even other branches of the military, like the Navy and National Guard. Despite having main bases in the coastal cities, the Army's members, beliefs, and commitments were felt across the country.
Brazil was still backwater and pre-industrial at the time and relied on industrial and technological products from the North Atlantic, but the British wanted a strong ally in South America as a counter to French-backed Argentina. With the aid of British loans, ideas, and advisors, Brazil turned itself around during the 1890s and early 1900s, with new factories and ports popping up in coastal cities. Modernized agriculture was introduced, and recently built railroads and telegrams connected the interior of the large nation to the coast. The Army itself modernized itself, featuring new British rifles and cannons. However, the industrial capabilities of Brazil would still be behind Argentina when World War I broke out.