Pedro Caldeira Brant, 1st Conde de Iguassú

Music

The popular Afro-Brazilian lundu dance

The lundu, an Afro-Brazilian dance characterized by sensual movements and syncopation, was performed in courtyards after the workday. While elites performed polite contra dances, the lower classes preferred the more expressive and energetic lundu.

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

Lack of water and sewage infrastructure

Running water and sewage systems were non-existent, so enslaved people transported water from public fountains or rivers in buckets and removed waste using barrels known as tigres. Bathing often occurred in small basins or tubs, sometimes using tin sheets.

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

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

Worker daily earnings in Rio Grande

In Rio Grande during the early 19th century, a worker could earn 40 réis in just an hour, enough to provide food for a day.