Hereditary Captaincies in Colonial Brazil: Causes & Failures
Hereditary Captaincies in Colonial Brazil: Causes & Failures
Set 1: Questions and Answers
1. Why was the Portuguese Crown not interested in immediate colonization of its South American lands?
A: Because no gold or silver were found to exploit.
2. What factors led Portugal to begin colonization in 1530?
A: Fear of losing territory to foreigners and the value of brazilwood (pau-brasil).
3. Who founded the vila of São Vicente on the south coast of São Paulo and implemented the hereditary captaincies in Brazil?
A: Martim Afonso de Sousa.
4. Which king of Portugal, between 1534 and 1536, divided the Portuguese colony in America into 15 parallel strips of land?
A: Dom João III.
5. What was the true function of the grantees (donataries) of the hereditary captaincies?
A: Grantees were not owners of the captaincies; therefore they could not freely sell or fully exploit them as private property.
6. Which two hereditary captaincies prospered and who were their grantees?
A: The captaincy of Pernambuco under Duarte Coelho and the captaincy of São Vicente, where the donee was Martim Afonso de Sousa.
7. What city in Santa Catarina was cut by the imaginary line of the Treaty of Tordesillas?
A: Laguna.
8. What was the main reason the hereditary captaincy system failed to work well in Brazil?
A: Distance, lack of support, and insufficient funds.
Set 2: Questions and Answers (Duplicate)
1. Why was the Portuguese Crown not interested in immediate colonization of its South American lands?
A: Because no gold or silver were found to exploit.
2. What factors led Portugal to begin colonization in 1530?
A: Fear of losing territory to foreigners and the value of brazilwood (pau-brasil).
3. Who founded the vila of São Vicente on the south coast of São Paulo and implemented the hereditary captaincies in Brazil?
A: Martim Afonso de Sousa.
4. Which king of Portugal, between 1534 and 1536, divided the Portuguese colony in America into 15 parallel strips of land?
A: Dom João III.
5. What was the true function of the grantees (donataries) of the hereditary captaincies?
A: Grantees were not owners of the captaincies; therefore they could not freely sell or fully exploit them as private property.
6. Which two hereditary captaincies prospered and who were their grantees?
A: The captaincy of Pernambuco under Duarte Coelho and the captaincy of São Vicente, where the donee was Martim Afonso de Sousa.
7. What city in Santa Catarina was cut by the imaginary line of the Treaty of Tordesillas?
A: Laguna.
8. What was the main reason the hereditary captaincy system failed to work well in Brazil?
A: Distance, lack of support, and insufficient funds.