History
» Economic Cycles
From sugar cane to coffee, moving past gold
The provincial population of the territory
where the state of Rio de Janeiro is now located is basically
descended from the settlers who moved inland from the coasts
and dedicated themselves to sugar cane cultivation.
At the end of the 17th century, sugar farms were great generators
of wealth, and were characterized by their enormous plantations,
powerful rural aristocracy and heavy use of slave labor coming
from Africa.
The beginning of the 18th century was marked by a rush for the
riches of Minas Gerais: gold and diamonds became export products.
Sugar mills and plantations were depopulated, but the end of
the gold rush at the turn of the century would bring another
huge population contingent back to the lands. Coffee began to
be cultivated.
With the invasion of Portugal by Napolean Bonaparte’s
troops, the Portuguese royal family came to Brazil in 1808 and
Rio de Janeiro developed quickly. The coffee fields reached
Angra dos Reis and Paraty, stretched further to the South Paraíba
River valley and all the way to the edge of the highlands.
In order to facilitate the distribution of coffee, the new sustaining
product for maritime commerce, the country’s first railroad
was built in 1854, connecting the Mauá Port (now Magé)
to Raiz da Serra da Estrela, on the road to Petrópolis.
However, the abolition of slavery by Princess Isabel in 1888
brought about the immediate decline of the large, luxurious
and sophisticated coffee plantations. Campos, Valença,
Cantagalo and Vassouras, the cities with the largest numbers
of slaves, were the most affected.
The development of new agricultural alternatives and the installation
of a number of industries gave new direction to the state’s
economy. In the region now called the Vale do Café (Coffee
Valley), still remain perfectly preserved colonial plantations
which are open to the public. They are part of a tourist itinerary
perfect for those who would like to learn more about this History
on location.
More information
Conselho de Turismo da Região do Vale do Ciclo
do Café
(Coffee Valley Region Council on Tourism)
http://www.valedocafe.com.br
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