Imigração francesa e redes de comércio na Fronteira Brasil-Argentina (Segunda metade do século XIX)

Abstract

This survey maps the presence and analyses the economic and social insertion of the French immigrants on the Western Border of Rio Grande do Sul State. These are individuals who crossed the Atlantic Ocean attracted by the immigration policies of the Plate countries and who settled in the towns of Itaqui, Uruguaiana and São Borja during the mid-nineteenth century. During this period, when the Plate basin rivers were opened to international navigation, these small border villages developed commercially, enabling a network of suppliers, transporters, and traders throughout the region integrated by the Uruguai River. The present work analyses the economic dynamics and highlights the actions of the French immigrants, who established relationships of support with their compatriots, and forged links to other social groups, ensuring their integration in a regional cross-border business space.