The revolt that culminated in the abdication of the throne by Emperor D. Pedro I, on April 7, 1831, was the beginning of a series of conflicts in Rio de Janeiro that lasted until 1833 and became known as the Revoltas de Povo e Tropa (People and Troop Revolts). United against the monarch were the troops – soldiers demanding higher pay and an end to physical punishment in the barracks – and the people – who were rising up against the rise in food and housing prices in the empire's capital. All of this was compounded by the escalating wear on the emperor's standing, which had been building for months.
The image of D. Pedro had been under attack since the previous year, with rumors and opposition newspapers stirring up public opinion. He was called a tyrant and accused of favoring his Portuguese compatriots politically and economically, to the detriment of Brazilians. Tension rose on April 5th, when the emperor dismissed the "Ministry of the Brazilians," replacing the cabinet members with appointees who did not enjoy popular support.
First edition of the newspaper O Exaltado, which bore the name of one of the political factions of the time — known as the “liberais exaltados.” Rio de Janeiro, August 4, 1831. O Exaltado: Jornal Litterario, Politico, e Moral (RJ). Year 1831\Edition 00001.
Image description: The image is a photograph of an old newspaper. It is in black and white. At the top, there is a date: "Thursday, August 4, 1830." Below that is written "O EXALTADO" in large, black letters. Next, it reads "JORNAL LITERARIA, POLITICO, E MORAL" in smaller letters. The spatial layout goes from left to right, starting with the newspaper's title and ending with the explanatory text below it. The background is white, and there are no other visible elements besides the newspaper.On the 6th, about four thousand people from all social classes – including enslaved people – took over Campo da Aclamação, present-day Campo de Santana. Slogans against the emperor were followed by cheers for the Constitution. Soldiers from the troops and battalions, who had been building up grievances, abandoned their posts to join the protesters.
Map of Rio de Janeiro, in 1831. Highlighting the campo da Aclamação, (smooth rectangle in light orange, near the bluish area of the map). Author: E. de La. Michellerie. Lithograph by Steinmann, 1831. Rio de Janeiro, 1831. Fundação Biblioteca Nacional
Image description: The image is an old engraving depicting a map. The spatial arrangement begins with green and brown areas in the foreground, representing land plots and vegetation. At the center, there is a large gray area, which appears to be an important construction or building. To the right, there is a pink area, possibly a neighborhood or district. In the upper right corner, there is a standing human figure holding a round object. The map is titled "A Capital do Brasil" at the top.Cornered, D. Pedro abdicated the throne on April 7. Until the successor to the Crown – Pedro de Alcântara, then five years old – reached the age of majority, Brazil would be governed by a regency. And the dispute over who would hold power in the new political landscape moved from rhetoric to armed struggle.
Farewell letter from D. Pedro I, former emperor of Brazil, written aboard the ship that carried him to Europe. April 12, 1831. Public domain image, Wikimedia Commons.
Image description: The image is a photograph of an old document. It is in black and white, with handwritten letters standing out. At the top, there is a prominent inscription, but it is not clear enough to read completely. Below, there is a letter dated May 18, 1837, signed by "D. Pedro II de Bragança" and addressed to "Margarida Almeida". The letter appears to be about government or political matters, mentioning terms such as "Revolta de Povo e Tropa".Following the example of the event that deposed D. Pedro, the revolts from 1831 to 1833 were carried out by political groups, popular masses, and discontented military members. In some cases, they demanded the deposition of the regency; in others, the calling of a constituent assembly. There were even occasions when the return of the emperor to the throne was demanded.
