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History
The Beginning
Like the rest of Brazil, the first people to live in Rio Grande do Sul were indians. During many years, the portuguese and spanish settlers fought for the possetion of the land near Porto Alegre. In 1725, Jerônimo Vasconcelos, a carpinter from São Paulo, chose the place where Porto Alegre is located to rest o his troops. After that, the Guaiba bank became a resting area. Ten years later, he brought his family to work in the wheat plantations, beginning the colonization of the future Porto Alegre.
Porto Alegre foundation
Porto Alegre was founded in 1742, when the portuguese decided to firm their control of this land, bringing many settlers and estabilishing a little village of azorian imigrants on the Guaiba banks.The village recevied a lot of names: Porto Dorneles, Porto São Francisco dos Casais, Nossa Senhora Madre de Deus de Porto Alegre and, finally, Porto Alegre. From that the capital Porto Alegre appears and remained with the status of village-capital until the brazilian independence. In Noveber 14th of the year 1822, Dom Pedro I, the first brazilian emperor, gave the village the title of city. In 1841, Porto Alegre receved from the emperor the title of- Loyal and Valorous City-, this title is present in the Porto Alegre official coat of arms.
During ten years in Rio Grande do Sul a confflict occured to proclaim the state an indepedent republic. At this time, the gaúchos (people from Rio Grande do Sul) didn't accept the condition that the state was subordinated by the brazilian central govenment. The lack of stucture and the high taxes contributed to the begging of the Farropilhas's revolution. After ten years of war the brazilian goverment reeched an agreement with the farrapos, these werethe people who participated of the revolution. This revolution garanteed a big grade of political responsability of the region in the country.
During the 19th century the government attracted imigrants from all parts of the world with incentives. Many Italians, Germans and Portuguese came from Europe to estabilish in Rio Grande do Sul. Porto Alege has a big political influence,when Brazil lived with a militar dictatorship the majority of the inhabitants were against it, there were many protests to recreate a democracy.Current Porto Alegre
The capital of Rio Grande do Sul is the fifth most populated brazilian city and a important export center for the countries that form the Mercosul: Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay. The economy of Porto Alegre is based on services, these represent 68 per cent of the Gross National Product. After that comes the industrial sector with 29 per cent. Porto Alegre has the titles of the brazilian city with the best quality of life, the first capital in arborization and the Brazilian Capital of the Mercosul.