Agudo, Rio Grande do Sul
Encyclopedia
Agudo is a municipality
in Rio Grande do Sul
, the southernmost state of Brazil
. Its coordinates are 53º14'24" West and the elevation is 83 meters above sealevel. The total area is 553,1 km² and the population was estimated at 17,833 in 2004.
Archeological evidence indicates that this area was settled by humankind as far back as 8.000 years ago.
The first Europeans to come into the area were Jesuit priests who in the 15th century began establishing the socalled Reductions or Missions
as they also were named in the wider region (i.e. Brazil
, Argentina
and Paraguay
).
At a later date with the expulsion of the Jesuit order by the both the Spanish
and Portuguese
crowns from South America
left the area inactive as far as European activities were concerned.
The local indigenous population suffered attacks by Paulistas from the north who, amongst other things, made it their business to capture Indians
to be put up for sale in the slave
markets of São Paulo
, etc...
In 1857 a new wave of immigration
started to affect the region, this time attracting Germanic settlers and subsequently peoples of other European origins. The German language
is still spoken by some of residents of the Municipality of Agudo and in areas around it.
In 2001 a fossil
of a dinosaur
was found in Agudos and after the analysis of its skeleton, it was reported to be a new species of ornithischian dinosaur, named sacisaur (Sacisaurus agudoensis) after the evidence that the skeleton missed the bones of one of its leg.
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
in Rio Grande do Sul
Rio Grande do Sul
Rio Grande do Sul is the southernmost state in Brazil, and the state with the fifth highest Human Development Index in the country. In this state is located the southernmost city in the country, Chuí, on the border with Uruguay. In the region of Bento Gonçalves and Caxias do Sul, the largest wine...
, the southernmost state of Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. Its coordinates are 53º14'24" West and the elevation is 83 meters above sealevel. The total area is 553,1 km² and the population was estimated at 17,833 in 2004.
Archeological evidence indicates that this area was settled by humankind as far back as 8.000 years ago.
The first Europeans to come into the area were Jesuit priests who in the 15th century began establishing the socalled Reductions or Missions
Mission (Christian)
Christian missionary activities often involve sending individuals and groups , to foreign countries and to places in their own homeland. This has frequently involved not only evangelization , but also humanitarian work, especially among the poor and disadvantaged...
as they also were named in the wider region (i.e. Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
and Paraguay
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
).
At a later date with the expulsion of the Jesuit order by the both the Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
crowns from South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
left the area inactive as far as European activities were concerned.
The local indigenous population suffered attacks by Paulistas from the north who, amongst other things, made it their business to capture Indians
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
to be put up for sale in the slave
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
markets of São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
, etc...
Immigration
Immigration is the act of foreigners passing or coming into a country for the purpose of permanent residence...
started to affect the region, this time attracting Germanic settlers and subsequently peoples of other European origins. The German language
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
is still spoken by some of residents of the Municipality of Agudo and in areas around it.
In 2001 a fossil
Fossil
Fossils are the preserved remains or traces of animals , plants, and other organisms from the remote past...
of a dinosaur
Dinosaur
Dinosaurs are a diverse group of animals of the clade and superorder Dinosauria. They were the dominant terrestrial vertebrates for over 160 million years, from the late Triassic period until the end of the Cretaceous , when the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event led to the extinction of...
was found in Agudos and after the analysis of its skeleton, it was reported to be a new species of ornithischian dinosaur, named sacisaur (Sacisaurus agudoensis) after the evidence that the skeleton missed the bones of one of its leg.
External links
- The Municipality of Agudo. Official website, accessed on April 25, 2006.
Genealogical research
- Colônia Santo Ângelo/Santo Angelo Settlement (Archived 2009-10-24). Site in English and Portuguese, accessed on April 25, 2006.
- Altmann Family. Site in English and in Portuguese, accessed on April 25, 2006.
- Projeto Imigração Alemã/German Immigration Project. Site in Portuguese, accessed on April 25, 2006.
- The Beskow Family in Santo Ângelo, in the Municipality of Agudo (Archived 2009-10-24). Site in English and Portuguese, accessed on April 25, 2006.