Herald Português

Brazil Divided · 5 chapters · 25 min

Farroupilha: When the South Became a Country

1835 to 1845The pampa of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Laguna and the border with Uruguay

The story in brief

Rio Grande do Sul was once a country, for almost nine years. It had a president, a capital and a flag, an Italian who took boats to the sea on wheels, and Black lancers fighting for a promise of freedom. And it came back to Brazil through a deal, not a defeat.

The chapters

  1. Chapter 1 · 5 min · Free

    The Azenha Bridge

    Meat, salt and taxes. And a bridge, on a September night.

    Sources: Bento Gonçalves’s manifesto, 25 September 1835; Sandra Pesavento, A Revolução Farroupilha; Spencer Leitman, Raízes socioeconômicas da Guerra dos Farrapos

  2. Chapter 2 · 5 min · Free

    A Country on the Pampa

    A colonel wins a battle and, the next day, invents a country.

    Sources: Antônio de Sousa Neto’s proclamation, Campo dos Menezes, 11 September 1836; Cesar Guazzelli, A alma penada de Antônio de Souza Netto (2020); Sandra Pesavento, A Revolução Farroupilha

  3. Chapter 3 · 5 min

    Boats on Wheels

    To reach the sea, an Italian puts two warships on wheels.

    Sources: Giuseppe Garibaldi, Memorie (1907 edition) and Memoirs (Alexandre Dumas edition, 1860); Elma Sant’Ana, Caderno de Anita Garibaldi (2021)

  4. Chapter 4 · 5 min

    The Lancers

    They fought for a promise: freedom. At dawn at Porongos, they were the ones who died most.

    Sources: Letter attributed to the Baron of Caxias to Francisco Pedro de Abreu, 9 November 1844; The diary of Antônio Vicente da Fontoura; Moacyr Flores; Juremir Machado da Silva, História regional da infâmia; Mário Maestri

  5. Chapter 5 · 5 min

    Ponche Verde

    Almost ten years of war end without a surrender: amnesty, ranks and debts paid.

    Sources: David Canabarro’s proclamation, 28 February 1845; The Baron of Caxias’s proclamation, 1 March 1845 (Arquivo Nacional); Secret instructions to Caxias, 18 December 1844; Rio Grande do Sul state laws 4,850 of 1964 and 5,213 of 1966

Who’s who

The people you meet. Each one is a hero card you can collect.

  • Onofre PiresBento’s cousin · The charge at the Azenha · The duel of 1844
  • Antônio de Sousa NetoThe man of Seival · Proclaimed the Republic · Never accepted the peace
  • Giuseppe GaribaldiPrivateer of the Republic · Boats on wheels · Hero of two worlds
  • The Black LancersFarrapo cavalry · Fought for freedom · Porongos, 1844
  • Bento GonçalvesRancher · President of the Republic · Escaped the Forte do Mar
  • Anita GaribaldiFrom Laguna to the world · Fought at sea and on land · Heroine of two worlds

What you’ll be able to tell

This story belongs to the journey “Almost Countries”. By the end of it, you can tell why each region wanted out, and the three ways Brazil stayed whole: a deal, the army and money.

Stories in this journey

  1. Farroupilha: When the South Became a Country
  2. Acre: The Country Brazil Bought

Sources

  • Bento Gonçalves’s manifesto (25 September 1835)
  • Antônio de Sousa Neto’s proclamation (11 September 1836)
  • Giuseppe Garibaldi’s memoirs
  • The letter attributed to the Baron of Caxias (9 November 1844)
  • The proclamations of Canabarro and Caxias (1845)
  • Sandra Pesavento, Spencer Leitman, Moacyr Flores

Brazil Divided: every story