“A Wild and Diversified Scenery”: Economy, Environment, and Society in Amazonia’s Second Slavery, 1835-1888

Between the Cabanagem rebellion of 1835-1840 and the abolition of slavery in 1888, Amazonia experienced a last period of resurgence of African slavery. After the destruction caused by Cabanagem, the largest revolt in Brazilian national history, the slave-holding sector of the region’s economy became the region’s main force behind its recovery, playing a pivotal role never properly discussed or understood by historians. Beyond the historical significance of slavery in Northern Brazil, the adaptation of the institution to the region’s environment and the social configurations it shaped will also be discussed with the intent of recovering the lost history of black Amazonia. This talk is part of the GLC Brown Bag Lunch Series. Bring your lunch and we’ll provide the drinks & dessert.