John well repaid the
loyal colonists by lifting their country into the condition of a separate
nation. Its ports, hitherto reserved for Portuguese ships, were opened to
the world's commerce; its system of seclusion and monopoly was brought to
a sudden end; manufactures were set free from their fetters; a national
bank was established; Brazil was thrown open freely to foreigners; schools
and a medical college were opened, and every colonial restriction was
swept away at a blow. Brazil was raised from a dependency to a kingdom at
a word. John, while bearing the title of prince, was practically king, for
his mother, the queen of Portugal, was hopelessly insane, and he ruled in
her stead.
He became actual king, as John VI., on the death of his mother in 1816,
and as such he soon found trouble growing up around him. The Brazilians
had been given so much that they wanted more. The opening of their country
to commerce and travel had let in new ideas, and the people began to
discover that they were the slaves of an absolute government. This feeling
of unrest passed out of sight for a time, and first broke out in rebellion
at Pernambuco in 1817.
Pages:
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325