Infante Sebastian of Portugal and Spain

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

Dining out for 800 réis

By 1816, specialized dining houses in Rio de Janeiro offered public table service for 800 réis per person, including wine or liquor.

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.

What people wore

Expensive official uniforms

In 1815, a government official described his official uniform as shameful because it cost nearly 120$000 réis, which was a very high price.

Getting around

High cost and time for transport

Transporting one arroba (about 14.7 kg) of sugar from Campinas to the port of Santos cost between 340 and 400 réis and took 12 days of travel.

What it cost

Wages and subsistence costs

In Rio de Janeiro, daily wages for laborers rose from 120 réis to 320 réis between 1765 and 1821, while in Recife, the daily cost to sustain an enslaved person was 120 réis.