Portuguese Empire in the

Americas

by Kariss Miller

Antonio de Gouveia

• He was born in 1528 who grew up in Azores; an archipelago off the coast of Portugal, and was an Azorean priest.

• He was fluent in theology, medicine, and alchemy.

• He experienced many inconsistencies in his life which would account for his periods of jail for scandalous acts against his faiths.

• He was a deceptively charming man.

Catarina de Monte Sinay

• In 1696 she became a nun at the Desterro Convent of Bahia in Brazil.

• She spent a number of years there as a pupil and secular ward of the nuns.

• Madre Victoria, a fellow nun, became an inspiration to Catarina.

• She was a wealthy woman and made certain that upon her death, she would

ensure that her sisters would live out the remainder of their loves

comfortably too.

Francisca• She born some time between 1700 & 1705.

• She was an Indian slave in 1739 who lived near the Amazon river and served Anna de Fonte for 20 years before she decided to petition Portuguese authorities for her freedom.

• She was skillful in her domestic capacities and at times she would sell her items, enabling her to meet new people.

• She had a determined spirit through the whole petition progress.

• She overcame a case of smallpox which historians speculate disfigured her.

• Ultimately in the end, she was ordered back to her mistress.

1755 Lisbon Earthquake• Known as the Great Lisbon Earthquake, this event near caused total

destruction to Lisbon and her surrounding areas.

• With the epicenter located in the Atlantic, it is estimated that the earthquake measured a magnitude 9 causing tsunamis and fires.

• Considered one of the deadliest natural catastrophes in history, the death toll was estimated between 10,000-100,000 people.

• The economic and cultural impact was catastrophic with buildings demolished, and priceless works of art destroyed.

• Society changed in that government decided that too many people were living in close-quarter situation; adding to the chaos.

The Spice Trade

• Portugal was extremely lucrative when it came to the spice trade.

• In the early 1500’s, the Persian Gulf would become a strategic port for

trade for the next hundred years.

• Portugal’s spice trade did not come without its challenges with other

country’s claiming certain zones.

• Ultimately over time Portugal strengthened control over shipping routes,

established various trading ports, and dominated the trade between Asia

and Europe.

Bartolomeu Dias

• Dias was a Portuguese explorer who sailed south Africa during 1488 and was the first European to do so.

• He was in search of a trade route to India and also for the countries in which Portugal desired friendly relations.

• Dias comprised a fleet of 3 ships.

• After 16 months, Dias became discouraged that his crew did not care to go any further. With this, he returned to Lisbon but nonetheless was still happy about his discovery of the passage around Africa.

• It would become easier for Europeans to trade directly with India & Asia; bypassing the Middle East.