Prince João Carlos, Prince of Beira

Music

Common instruments in 19th-century homes

In the early 19th century, the viola and guitar were the most popular instruments for accompanying songs at home, while the piano only became more common in wealthy households from the 1830s onwards.

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.

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.

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.

Getting around

Mule trains transported goods over months

Mule trains were the primary method for transporting goods between towns, with a trip between São Paulo and Vila Boa taking four months for the round trip.

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.