J2476-2011 Actions

• Jun 14, 2011: ADOPTED
• Jun 14, 2011: REPORTED TO CALENDAR FOR CONSIDERATION
• Jun 10, 2011: REFERRED TO FINANCE

J2476-2011 Text

 LEGISLATIVE  RESOLUTION  commemorating  189 years of the Independence of
 Brazil on September 7, 2011
 WHEREAS, Brazil became a Portuguese colony in 1500 with  the  establish
 ment of their first settlement, Sao Vicente; and
 WHEREAS, Brazil was ruled from Lisbon for the next 300 years as a very
 fruitful  colony:  rich in lumber, minerals, gold, gemstones; all making
 Portugal very wealthy at the hands of  indigenous  people  and  imported
 slaves from Africa; and
 WHEREAS,  In  1808,  Dom  Joao VI and the Portuguese royal family fled
 from Napoleon and established the seat of government in Rio de  Janeiro;
 and
 WHEREAS,  After the defeat of Napoleon in 1815, Dom Joao VI thought it
 best to establish Brazil as a kingdom similar to Portugal and worked the
 next several years toward that cause; and
 WHEREAS, Portugal strongly disagreed with  Brazilian  sovereignty  and
 Dom  Joao's  staying in Brazil, and sent an army to stabilize Brazil and
 return Dom Joao to Portugal; Dom Joao returned to Portugal  leaving  his
 year old son, Pedro, to preside over Brazil; and
 WHEREAS,  Pedro, now known as Dom Pedro, continued his father's vision
 to bring about an autonomous Brazil, similar to what  was  happening  in
 nearly every other Latin American territory during that era; and
 WHEREAS,  In Rio de Janeiro on September 7, 1822, Dom Pedro received a
 letter from Portugal saying  that  all  power  given  to  him  had  been
 annulled and that Portugal intended to enslave all of Brazil; and
 WHEREAS,  Pedro  turned  to  his  companions  and spoke: "Friends, the
 Portuguese Cortes want to enslave and  pursue  us.  From  today  on  our
 relations  are  broken. No ties unite us anymore" and continued after he
 pulled out his blue-white armband that  symbolized  Portugal:  "Armbands
 off,  soldiers.  Hail  to  the independence, to freedom and to the sepa
 ration of Brazil"; and
 WHEREAS, When arriving in the city  of  Sao  Paolo  on  the  night  of
 September 7, 1822, Pedro and his fellow companions had spread the notice
 of the Brazilian independence from Portugal; and
 WHEREAS,  The  Portuguese  quickly  gave in to the idea of a Brazilian
 empire; without a single shot being fired, Dom Pedro I became the  first
 emperor of an independent Brazil; and
 WHEREAS, The United States was the first country to recognize Brazili
 an independence in 1822; and
 WHEREAS, International recognition of Brazil's independence came about
 on  August 29, 1825, when a treaty was signed between Britain and Portu
 gal; and
 WHEREAS, Many Brazilians have made  New  York  their  home,  and  this
 Legislative Body is justly proud to thank the Brazilian people for their
 contributions to this great Empire State; now, therefore, be it
 RESOLVED,  That  this  Legislative  Body pause in its deliberations to
 commemorate 189 years of the Independence  of  Brazil  on  September  7,
 2011.

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