Maria II of Portugal

What people wore

Informal home attire for men

Brazilian men often discarded stiff outer layers at home, wearing only a cotton shirt, knee-length breeches, and clogs. Only a few elite men owned nightgowns, which were used to signal worldliness and status.

Daily life

Simple and often dark colonial homes

Houses were typically dark, simple, and constructed from rammed earth, stone, or brick, with narrow layouts that limited airflow and natural light. To repel insects, some residents mixed cow dung with the clay used for walls.

Music

Informal music making in homes

In the early 19th century, people frequently gathered in homes for informal musical sessions, where they sang sentimental modinhas accompanied by the viola. These intimate gatherings were central to daily life and often featured improvised concerts at night.

At the table

Breakfast for four vinténs

Working-class people in the early 19th century could buy a simple morning meal of coffee and bread with rancid Irish butter for four vinténs.

Getting around

Decorated lead mules guided the way

Lead mules were decorated with ornaments like peacock feathers, shells, and ribbons, and wore a bell to help guide the rest of the herd.