Empire of Brazil · 1808-1889

Brazil: from colony to empire to republic

Brazil takes a path unlike its neighbours: a European court moves to Rio, a prince declares independence and becomes emperor, and slavery lasts until 1888. Students trace how Brazil became independent with little fighting and why freedom came so late.

Teach it live New Open on the map
Length
50 minutes
Ages
12–15
On the map
3 steps, AD 1808 to AD 1888
Live lesson
7 rounds, 3 on the map
Worksheet
Two A4 pages, with Classroom
You need
A projector; phones for live

Live lesson · new in Classroom

Teach it live. The class answers on their phones.

Put the board on the projector. Students join with a six-digit code, no account needed, and tap the map: where was the frontier, where did the grain come from. Their pins drop in together when you reveal, and the closest student takes the round.

€19 per month: every lesson live, every worksheet, cancel anytime. Rome at its height runs live for free.

A live lesson on the projector: the class's pins on the map around Alexandria, the closest students listed beside it A student's phone: the question and a map to tap
7 rounds
3 places to find on the map, quiz questions, a class vote and a one-line answer.
About 15 minutes
Run it as the map step, or to open the discussion. You move on with the space bar.
A report
Every answer, per student and per round, to read back or print after the lesson.
1

Introduction

5 min

Read aloud

Brazil takes a path unlike its neighbours: a European court moves to Rio, a prince declares independence and becomes emperor, and slavery lasts until 1888. Students trace how Brazil became independent with little fighting and why freedom came so late.

By the end of the lesson, students can

  • Explain why the Portuguese court moved to Brazil in 1808 and what that changed.
  • Describe how Brazil became an independent empire in 1822.
  • Explain how enslaved people, abolitionists and the law ended slavery in Brazil in 1888.
2

Explore the map

15 min

Project the map, or let students follow on their own devices. Each step opens the map at the right year and place.

a

AD 1808

A royal voyage

Open the map in 1808 and zoom out over the Atlantic. Find Lisbon and Rio de Janeiro. The Portuguese court sailed between them to escape Napoleon. How long do you think the voyage took?

Open this view on the map
b

AD 1880

A giant country

Open the map in 1880 and zoom out over South America. Compare the size of Brazil with its neighbours. How many countries border it?

Open this view on the map
c

AD 1888

Ask about freedom

Type "When did Brazil abolish slavery?" in Ask the atlas and watch where the map goes. Why might ending slavery be hardest in the country that had received the most enslaved Africans?

Open this view on the map
3

Class discussion

15 min

Pick two or three. They run from what happened to why it mattered.

  1. Why would a king move his whole court from Europe to a colony?
  2. Brazil won independence with little fighting, while Spanish America fought for years. What made the difference?
  3. Brazil received more enslaved Africans than any other country in the Americas. How did that shape its society?
  4. Enslaved people resisted through revolts, escapes to quilombos and court cases. Why are these stories important for understanding abolition?
  5. The monarchy fell in 1889, just a year after abolition. Do you see a connection?
4

Game round

10 min

No Rule History ruler comes from Brazil. Play Napoleon Bonaparte: his invasion of Portugal in 1807 sent the Portuguese court across the ocean. Discuss: how did Napoleon's decisions in Europe end up making Rio de Janeiro a capital?

Open Rule History
5

Worksheet

5 min

This worksheet comes with Classroom

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