The Rise of the Brazilian Sugar Economy

Brazil transitioned from a peripheral region to the center of the Portuguese Empire due to the cultivation of sugar. Initially carried out by indigenous labor, the decline in indigenous populations led to the enslavement of indigenous people and eventually the transatlantic slave trade. The importance of sugar in Brazil and globally stemmed from its history as a crop encountered by Europeans during the Crusades. The climate and soil in Brazil were ideal for sugar production, leading to its economic significance.