Riograndense Republic
| Bahia | |
|---|---|
| Riograndense Republic | |
| República da Bahia | |
 | |
 Location of Bahia | |
| Capital | Salvador |
| Population | 18 million |
| Government Type | Federated Republic |
| Languages |
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Riograndense Republic General name: Riograndense Republic; Official name(English): Riograndense Republic; Official name(Portuguese): República Riograndense; Type of government: Federated republic; Capital: Rio Grande; Largest City: Porto Alegre; Population: 18 million; Language: Portuguese(Official nationwide); Spanish(Official regionally); The Riograndense Republic (Portuguese: República Riograndense) is a country located on the southern cone of South America. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Brazil to the north, Paraguay to the west and Carolina to the south and southwest. The country is divided into five states and a federal district where the capital, Rio Grande, is located. The Riograndense Republic, differently from its other portuguese speaking neighbors, has a culture molded by the junction of iberian cultures along italian, slav and german influences. Geographically, the nation can be divided in two regions, the flat pampas in the south, with hot summer and mild winter, and the hilly north with its mild summer and cold winters. The riograndense economy is composed of varied sectors, with agriculture and meat production being its most prominent, but also can be cited tourism and industrial activities. ETYMOLOGY: The name Riograndense Republic in a literal translation means “the Republic of the Great River”. This name came from misconceptions about the geography of the region. During early colonial times, many explorers had mistaken the Patos Lagoon( Lagoa dos Patos ) as the mouth of a large river. Although geographically incorrect, the name sticks to the region to this day. EARLY HISTORY: Before colonization, the region where the Riograndense Republic lies today was inhabited by many indigenous tribes such as the Minuanos, Charruas and Guaranis. According to the Treaty Of Tordesillas(1494), the totality of the region was under the spanish controlled hemisphere, but after more than 200 years, the treaty fell into oblivion. The region was first settled by the portuguese in the early 18th century, and due to its temperate climate, wasn't suitable for the production of sugarcane, therefore, adopted the cultivation of tobacco and ranching as its main economic activities. RIOGRANDENSE INDEPENDENCE WAR: Em 1843, inspired by the ideals of the Spring of Nations and the Bahian War of Independence, the southernmost captaincy of the colony of Brazil started its own rebellion against the portuguese crown. Inside the rebels were liberals, large landowners, local military personal and former slaves. The reasons to fight were many, amongst them were the lack of brazilian representation in politics, the closed economy of the colony and taxation. In the case of the former slaves, freedom was promised to those who chose to fight along. After the success in defeating the local defense forces, the Riograndense Republic was proclaimed and a provisional capital in the town of Caçapava was established. Months later, the news of the newly proclaimed nation spread across the british colony of Carolina and the country( still not recognized but independent) of Paraguay. This encouraged many hispanic gauchos, known as well as carolinos, to volunteer themselves to the riograndense cause. In exchange for help, the country would grant to those men and their families citizenship. In 1844, Paraguay recognized the independence of the Riograndnese Republic, being the first country in the world to do it. In the same year, the paraguayan government permitted the traffic of volunteers and smuggled weapons through its borders to assist its new neighbor. From the beginning of the rebellion to 1845, many towns and villages were either conquered or joined the republic willingly. By 1846, only the town of Rio Grande was under Portuguese control. Later on that year, a peace treaty was signed.
