Maria Isabel de Alcântara Brasileira

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

Classrooms Shared with Animals

Many primary schools were located in old houses with dirt floors, where students often shared space with animals like pigs and chickens.

Music

Music in religious festivals

Religious festivals often featured processions with choirs, orchestras, and traditional groups like congados, which were pantomimic folk dances of African origin.

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.