FROM "WHITE GOLD" TO "BLACK GOLD": The Economic Dynamics of the Extreme South of the Province of Espirito Santo – 19

Abstract

The 19th century in the Brazilian province of Espírito Santo was marked by economic and social transformations. The production of sugar in the first half of the 19th century and coffee in the second part of the century made the province go through a new era. As a result, countless enslaved, many of them Africans, passed through the beaches of Espírito Santo on the way towards the plantations. This article intends to present the economic and social dynamics of the extreme southern region of the province of Espírito Santo, with emphasis on Itapemirim, the oldest settlement founded in this territory. In addition to being divided into two parts, the coast for sugar production and the interior for coffee production, the closest port to the imperial capital was located in Itapemirim.