Taro Revolt
Encyclopedia
The Taro Revolt or the Taro Mutiny , is the name given to the 17th-century peasant conflicts that occurred on the island of São Jorge—particularly the municipality of Calheta
, in the parishes of Ribeira Seca
and Norte Pequeno
—in protest to the annual payment of tithe
s for the production of taro
, a green-stalk plant whose root was used as a food source throughout the Azores
.
The taro
(Colocasia esculenta
), referred to in the Azores
as inhames or coco in Portuguese
, is cultivated in many islands of the archipelago. It was first introduced onto the island of São Jorge during the 17th century, probably from southeast Asia
, and became popular with the peasant class. Given its nutritional importance, taro was planted in peasant gardens to stave off food crises and famine; in periods when crops failed, the taro was used to supplant local sources of protein
.
On the eastern coast, which is characterized by the plain of Serra do Topo (800 m above sea level) and almost constantly covered in thick fog, made it difficult to cultivate cereal crops. This was usually confided to a narrow platform that circuited the village of Topo
and the lower portion of Santo Antão
. These were ideal conditions, with their ravines and rugged valleys, that allowed the cultivation of taro, which assumed a dominant part of the local agriculture and economy. The taro was usually cultivated along the margins of the fields that were seeded with cereal crops and provided a guaranteed source of proteins for local settlers, until the potato
was introduced later in the century. The plant occupied areas with abundant sources of water and could tolerate areas of shade, and were therefore ideal in the fajãs
, ravine
s and valleys, taking advantage of access to water and waterfalls. On São Jorge, in particular, the coastal debris fields (the fajãs) were ideal along the southern coast of the island. Today, there still exist some plants in these zones and especially in those areas that have since been abandoned by human settlement, but yet wild plants have survived.
Culturally, some locals would refer to residents near taro fields as inhameiros ("taro-fielders"), the leaves of the taro figure prominently on the coat-of-arms of the municipality
of Calheta
and the heraldry of the civil parish of Ribeira Seca
, the locality at the center of the leader of the Taro Revolt.
could not be eliminated through the increase in standard taxation, which was primarily centered on products of greater value, such as cereals or meats. Due to this, the crown looked to other mechanisms to generate new financial income and expanded the number of products that were taxable, in order to expand this revenue stream.
The new tax, the dízimo das miunças e ervagens ("Tithe
on Miunças and Greens"), was such a new tax: it imposed a tax on one-tenth of all green plants, including those for animal consumption (as well as the cattle) and other smaller agricultural products. The tax, which lasted until the establishment of the Liberal Constitution of 1822
, was the norm, and established payment to the Royal coffers in taro, which would be sold by administers to fill the public finances. The payment was generally repudiated by all, but in general by commercial traders and capitalists from Lisbon, who extorted payment from their clients. This discontent extend to many of the peasant class, who had hopes that the Restoration would bring prosperity, but were excluded from lands by aristocratic fiefdom
s of Lisbon nobility. In some parishes, what few lands were available were those in ravines and cliffs, where the taro could be cultivated. This discontentment increased in the latter half of the 17th century, creating the conditions for conflict that only required a match.
Considered food of the peasants, it was never subject to a tithe, until the population of the municipalities of Calheta and Topo
were informed that they were to begin paying the tax on the root-vegetable. Many did not pay, and the situation began to fester. In 1692, Francisco Lopes Beirão set the tithe for three years to 415$000 Portuguese real
, and instructed his agents to "squeeze" peasants for the payment, as well as the costs associated with the transport of the tuber
from field to the collection site.
This final insult (transport) inflamed the farmers: the transport of taro, from the fajãs to settlements, required the scaling of 500-600 meter vertical cliffs, along trails that were better suited to goats then humans. Further, other taxes were payable at the location of the farmer: the wheat
tithe
at the threshing floor
, the corn
tithe
at each parcel of land, and the viticulture
tithe
at the pressing stone. This stipulation obligated the farmers to transport sacks of taro on their backs (which was common for the poor) from the fajãs where the root was harvested, to the settlements on the São Jorge plateau.
, appeared at the town council of Calheta, requesting more than 150 residents from the municipality of Calheta, for their failure to pay the tithe
for 1692, 1693 and 1694. In November, residents in the community of Ribeira da Areia in the civil parish of Norte Grande
, Velas
(which also pertained to the neighboring municipality of Calheta) appeared at the town council in Calheta. These inhabitants protested to the council officials that they were being intimidated, while others were arrested, by men sent by the sheriff of Velas. This was considered an intolerable interference in the municipal independence of Calheta: the magistrate and Captain-major in Calheta immediately ordered a squadron of soldiers to expel the invaders.
By the time the contingent had arrived from Calheta, Father Manuel Luís Maldonado, writing in the newspaper Fenix Angrence noted,
Father João de Sousa Pacheco, then vicar
of Norte Grande, ran to the Church and was able to calm the population, an burned the list of all those who were intimidated in public. With this act, the authorities from Velas were ordered to return to their home, and subject was supposedly closed.
João de Soveral e Barbuda to the island of São Jorge in order to apprehend and sentence the responsible parties.
Barbuda left on August 1695, and established his residence on the island of Faial
and began his investigations. Owing to Jorgense resistance, in the spring of 1696 he solicited from military governor at the Castle of São João Baptista on Monte Brasil
, in the city of Angra
, troops to put-down the rebellion. The governor sent 50 soldiers from Terceira, and placed them in the hands of the magistrate.
Accompanied by this military force, Barbuda began in Velas
(on June 22, 1696) a campaign of summary arrests and interrogations, establishing a rigorous prosecution and review of the events. Among those questioned were the Sheriff and Sargent-major of Velas, as well as the Captain-major, councilmen and judges of Calheta. The inquiry determined that the rebels, in addition to the authorities in Calheta (who had defended their revolt) were culpable. Considered the leader of the revolt, Gonçalo Pereira Machado, the respected Captain-major of Calheta and resident of Ribeira Seca
was convicted and sentenced to the Limoeiro prison in Lisbon
. The judges and councilmen of Calheta were also blamed for the defiance, although many escaped the sentence of the courts. As a general blanket coverage, the magistrate also considered the residents of the villa of Topo
(which then included the parish of Santo Antão
), the villagers of Calheta and those northern parishes (Norte Grande and Norte Pequeno
) involved in the riot duplicitous in the events that occurred.
As a consequence of the Taro Revolt, relations between the Jorgense municipalities became tense while inter-island relationships expanded: Calheta and Topo were polarized towards Angra, while Velas became a satellite of the city of Horta. Those residents who were impoverished by the taxation, were profoundly affected by successive crop failures and famines that occurred on the island, and many were forced to emigrate to Brazil or the United States.
The revolt was a low point in community life for the Jorgense population, and is remembered primarily in the coat-of-arms of some of the administrative centers.
Calheta (Azores)
Calheta is a municipality on the island of São Jorge, in the Portuguese autonomous region of Azores. The municipality includes the eastern portion of the island of São Jorge and borders the municipality of Velas; Calheta has a population of 3,972 inhabitants and an area of...
, in the parishes of Ribeira Seca
Ribeira Seca (Calheta)
Ribeira Seca is a parish in the municipality of Calheta in the Portuguese Azores. In 2001, the population hovered around 1105, within an administrative area of 53.77 km² ....
and Norte Pequeno
Norte Pequeno
Norte Pequeno is a civil parish in the municipality of Calheta in the Portuguese Azores, located on the northern coast of the island of São Jorge...
—in protest to the annual payment of tithe
Tithe
A tithe is a one-tenth part of something, paid as a contribution to a religious organization or compulsory tax to government. Today, tithes are normally voluntary and paid in cash, cheques, or stocks, whereas historically tithes were required and paid in kind, such as agricultural products...
s for the production of taro
Taro
Taro is a common name for the corms and tubers of several plants in the family Araceae . Of these, Colocasia esculenta is the most widely cultivated, and is the subject of this article. More specifically, this article describes the 'dasheen' form of taro; another variety is called eddoe.Taro is...
, a green-stalk plant whose root was used as a food source throughout the Azores
Azores
The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...
.
History
Taro
Taro is a common name for the corms and tubers of several plants in the family Araceae . Of these, Colocasia esculenta is the most widely cultivated, and is the subject of this article. More specifically, this article describes the 'dasheen' form of taro; another variety is called eddoe.Taro is...
(Colocasia esculenta
Colocasia esculenta
Colocasia esculenta is a tropical plant grown primarily for its edible corms, the root vegetables whose many names include Taro and Eddoe. It is believed to be one of the earliest cultivated plants.-Description:Rhizomes of different shapes and sizes...
), referred to in the Azores
Azores
The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...
as inhames or coco in Portuguese
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
, is cultivated in many islands of the archipelago. It was first introduced onto the island of São Jorge during the 17th century, probably from southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
, and became popular with the peasant class. Given its nutritional importance, taro was planted in peasant gardens to stave off food crises and famine; in periods when crops failed, the taro was used to supplant local sources of protein
Protein
Proteins are biochemical compounds consisting of one or more polypeptides typically folded into a globular or fibrous form, facilitating a biological function. A polypeptide is a single linear polymer chain of amino acids bonded together by peptide bonds between the carboxyl and amino groups of...
.
On the eastern coast, which is characterized by the plain of Serra do Topo (800 m above sea level) and almost constantly covered in thick fog, made it difficult to cultivate cereal crops. This was usually confided to a narrow platform that circuited the village of Topo
Topo (Azores)
Topo, also known as Nossa Senhora do Rosário , is a civil parish on the northeastern corner of the municipality Calheta on the island of São Jorge...
and the lower portion of Santo Antão
Santo Antão (Calheta)
Santo Antão is a civil parish in the eastern half of the municipality of Calheta, that extends from northern to southern coast of the island of São Jorge in the Azores. The population in 2001 was 921, its density is 28.48/km2 and the area is 32.34 km2....
. These were ideal conditions, with their ravines and rugged valleys, that allowed the cultivation of taro, which assumed a dominant part of the local agriculture and economy. The taro was usually cultivated along the margins of the fields that were seeded with cereal crops and provided a guaranteed source of proteins for local settlers, until the potato
Potato
The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family . The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well as the edible tuber. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species...
was introduced later in the century. The plant occupied areas with abundant sources of water and could tolerate areas of shade, and were therefore ideal in the fajãs
Fajãs
Fajãs are a geological feature of São Jorge Island in the Azores.The island is volcanic in character with steep cliffs running down to the sea. The fajãs are small areas of flat land by the sea caused by the collapse of cliffs. The fajãs are fertile and used for growing many plants including yams,...
, ravine
Ravine
A ravine is a landform narrower than a canyon and is often the product of streamcutting erosion. Ravines are typically classified as larger in scale than gullies, although smaller than valleys. A ravine is generally a fluvial slope landform of relatively steep sides, on the order of twenty to...
s and valleys, taking advantage of access to water and waterfalls. On São Jorge, in particular, the coastal debris fields (the fajãs) were ideal along the southern coast of the island. Today, there still exist some plants in these zones and especially in those areas that have since been abandoned by human settlement, but yet wild plants have survived.
Culturally, some locals would refer to residents near taro fields as inhameiros ("taro-fielders"), the leaves of the taro figure prominently on the coat-of-arms of the municipality
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...
of Calheta
Calheta (Azores)
Calheta is a municipality on the island of São Jorge, in the Portuguese autonomous region of Azores. The municipality includes the eastern portion of the island of São Jorge and borders the municipality of Velas; Calheta has a population of 3,972 inhabitants and an area of...
and the heraldry of the civil parish of Ribeira Seca
Ribeira Seca (Calheta)
Ribeira Seca is a parish in the municipality of Calheta in the Portuguese Azores. In 2001, the population hovered around 1105, within an administrative area of 53.77 km² ....
, the locality at the center of the leader of the Taro Revolt.
Increased taxation
The costs associated with the Portuguese Restoration WarPortuguese Restoration War
Portuguese Restoration War was the name given by nineteenth-century 'romantic' historians to the war between Portugal and Spain that began with the Portuguese revolution of 1640 and ended with the Treaty of Lisbon . The revolution of 1640 ended the sixty-year period of dual monarchy in Portugal...
could not be eliminated through the increase in standard taxation, which was primarily centered on products of greater value, such as cereals or meats. Due to this, the crown looked to other mechanisms to generate new financial income and expanded the number of products that were taxable, in order to expand this revenue stream.
The new tax, the dízimo das miunças e ervagens ("Tithe
Tithe
A tithe is a one-tenth part of something, paid as a contribution to a religious organization or compulsory tax to government. Today, tithes are normally voluntary and paid in cash, cheques, or stocks, whereas historically tithes were required and paid in kind, such as agricultural products...
on Miunças and Greens"), was such a new tax: it imposed a tax on one-tenth of all green plants, including those for animal consumption (as well as the cattle) and other smaller agricultural products. The tax, which lasted until the establishment of the Liberal Constitution of 1822
Liberal Revolution of 1820
The Liberal Revolution of 1820 was a political revolution that erupted in 1820 and lasted until 1826. It was unchained via a military insurrection in the city of Porto, in northern Portugal, that quickly and peacefully spread to the rest of the country. From 1807 to 1811 Napoleonic French forces...
, was the norm, and established payment to the Royal coffers in taro, which would be sold by administers to fill the public finances. The payment was generally repudiated by all, but in general by commercial traders and capitalists from Lisbon, who extorted payment from their clients. This discontent extend to many of the peasant class, who had hopes that the Restoration would bring prosperity, but were excluded from lands by aristocratic fiefdom
Fiefdom
A fee was the central element of feudalism and consisted of heritable lands granted under one of several varieties of feudal tenure by an overlord to a vassal who held it in fealty in return for a form of feudal allegiance and service, usually given by the...
s of Lisbon nobility. In some parishes, what few lands were available were those in ravines and cliffs, where the taro could be cultivated. This discontentment increased in the latter half of the 17th century, creating the conditions for conflict that only required a match.
Considered food of the peasants, it was never subject to a tithe, until the population of the municipalities of Calheta and Topo
Topo (Azores)
Topo, also known as Nossa Senhora do Rosário , is a civil parish on the northeastern corner of the municipality Calheta on the island of São Jorge...
were informed that they were to begin paying the tax on the root-vegetable. Many did not pay, and the situation began to fester. In 1692, Francisco Lopes Beirão set the tithe for three years to 415$000 Portuguese real
Portuguese real
The real was the unit of currency of Portugal from around 1430 until 1911. It replaced the dinheiro at the rate of 1 real = 840 dinheiros and was itself replaced by the escudo at a rate of 1 escudo = 1000 réis...
, and instructed his agents to "squeeze" peasants for the payment, as well as the costs associated with the transport of the tuber
Tuber
Tubers are various types of modified plant structures that are enlarged to store nutrients. They are used by plants to survive the winter or dry months and provide energy and nutrients for regrowth during the next growing season and they are a means of asexual reproduction...
from field to the collection site.
This final insult (transport) inflamed the farmers: the transport of taro, from the fajãs to settlements, required the scaling of 500-600 meter vertical cliffs, along trails that were better suited to goats then humans. Further, other taxes were payable at the location of the farmer: the wheat
Wheat
Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
tithe
Tithe
A tithe is a one-tenth part of something, paid as a contribution to a religious organization or compulsory tax to government. Today, tithes are normally voluntary and paid in cash, cheques, or stocks, whereas historically tithes were required and paid in kind, such as agricultural products...
at the threshing floor
Threshing floor
A threshing floor is a specially flattened surface, usually circular and paved, where a farmer would thresh the grain harvest and then winnow it, before the advent of threshing machines from the nineteenth century onwards. The threshing floor was either owned by the entire village or by a single...
, the corn
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
tithe
Tithe
A tithe is a one-tenth part of something, paid as a contribution to a religious organization or compulsory tax to government. Today, tithes are normally voluntary and paid in cash, cheques, or stocks, whereas historically tithes were required and paid in kind, such as agricultural products...
at each parcel of land, and the viticulture
Viticulture
Viticulture is the science, production and study of grapes which deals with the series of events that occur in the vineyard. When the grapes are used for winemaking, it is also known as viniculture...
tithe
Tithe
A tithe is a one-tenth part of something, paid as a contribution to a religious organization or compulsory tax to government. Today, tithes are normally voluntary and paid in cash, cheques, or stocks, whereas historically tithes were required and paid in kind, such as agricultural products...
at the pressing stone. This stipulation obligated the farmers to transport sacks of taro on their backs (which was common for the poor) from the fajãs where the root was harvested, to the settlements on the São Jorge plateau.
Revolt of July 1694
In this context, in an indignant environment, on July 21, 1694, Amaro Soares de Sousa, Sargent-major of the municipality of VelasVelas
Velas is a municipality in the São Jorge Island, in the Portuguese autonomous region of Azores. The municipality encompasses the western portion of the island, with its municipal seat in the town of Velas on the south coast and divided into six parishes....
, appeared at the town council of Calheta, requesting more than 150 residents from the municipality of Calheta, for their failure to pay the tithe
Tithe
A tithe is a one-tenth part of something, paid as a contribution to a religious organization or compulsory tax to government. Today, tithes are normally voluntary and paid in cash, cheques, or stocks, whereas historically tithes were required and paid in kind, such as agricultural products...
for 1692, 1693 and 1694. In November, residents in the community of Ribeira da Areia in the civil parish of Norte Grande
Norte Grande
Norte Grande is a civil parish in the municipality of Velas on the island of São Jorge in the Azores; owing to the existence of an ecumenical faith community throughout its history, the parish has also taken on the name of its religious invokation...
, Velas
Velas
Velas is a municipality in the São Jorge Island, in the Portuguese autonomous region of Azores. The municipality encompasses the western portion of the island, with its municipal seat in the town of Velas on the south coast and divided into six parishes....
(which also pertained to the neighboring municipality of Calheta) appeared at the town council in Calheta. These inhabitants protested to the council officials that they were being intimidated, while others were arrested, by men sent by the sheriff of Velas. This was considered an intolerable interference in the municipal independence of Calheta: the magistrate and Captain-major in Calheta immediately ordered a squadron of soldiers to expel the invaders.
By the time the contingent had arrived from Calheta, Father Manuel Luís Maldonado, writing in the newspaper Fenix Angrence noted,
- "I passed the sheriff with forty men for the church square of Calheta, as they were arresting a few of the responsible a group, when barbarous and disorderly people rose-up, and it was necessary that they retreated to the Church of Nossa Senhora das Neves...as they [the mob] circled, they clambered that they should set a fire and breakdown the doors with machetes...the vicar attempted to calm them, but was only successful when first the prisoners were released...they formed two companies, under two captains, exclaiming that they should not pay the tithe without His Majesty ordering them by special mandate."
Father João de Sousa Pacheco, then vicar
Vicar
In the broadest sense, a vicar is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior . In this sense, the title is comparable to lieutenant...
of Norte Grande, ran to the Church and was able to calm the population, an burned the list of all those who were intimidated in public. With this act, the authorities from Velas were ordered to return to their home, and subject was supposedly closed.
Judicial Intervention
For many Jorgense, they believed that their actions would not have any consequences, and that they were victory had stopped the imposition of the tax. In truth, Francisco Lopes Beirão was informed of the actions taken against his agents, and appealed to the King. In a letter dated June 16, 1695, the King sent magistrateMagistrate
A magistrate is an officer of the state; in modern usage the term usually refers to a judge or prosecutor. This was not always the case; in ancient Rome, a magistratus was one of the highest government officers and possessed both judicial and executive powers. Today, in common law systems, a...
João de Soveral e Barbuda to the island of São Jorge in order to apprehend and sentence the responsible parties.
Barbuda left on August 1695, and established his residence on the island of Faial
Faial Island
Faial Island , also known in English as Fayal, is a Portuguese island of the Central Group of the Azores....
and began his investigations. Owing to Jorgense resistance, in the spring of 1696 he solicited from military governor at the Castle of São João Baptista on Monte Brasil
Monte Brasil
Monte Brasil is a peninsula located on the south coast of Terceira Island in the central Azores Islands, near the city of Angra do Heroísmo. Monte Brasil is flanked by two bays: Baía de Angra do Heroísmo to the east, from which the city's name is derived, and Baía do Fanal to the west....
, in the city of Angra
Angra do Heroísmo
Angra do Heroísmo , locally referred to as Angra, is a municipality and city on the island of Terceira, within the Portuguese autonomous region of the Azores. The municipal area has a population of 35,581 and an area of . Along with Praia da Vitória to the north, it is one of two municipal...
, troops to put-down the rebellion. The governor sent 50 soldiers from Terceira, and placed them in the hands of the magistrate.
Accompanied by this military force, Barbuda began in Velas
Velas
Velas is a municipality in the São Jorge Island, in the Portuguese autonomous region of Azores. The municipality encompasses the western portion of the island, with its municipal seat in the town of Velas on the south coast and divided into six parishes....
(on June 22, 1696) a campaign of summary arrests and interrogations, establishing a rigorous prosecution and review of the events. Among those questioned were the Sheriff and Sargent-major of Velas, as well as the Captain-major, councilmen and judges of Calheta. The inquiry determined that the rebels, in addition to the authorities in Calheta (who had defended their revolt) were culpable. Considered the leader of the revolt, Gonçalo Pereira Machado, the respected Captain-major of Calheta and resident of Ribeira Seca
Ribeira Seca (Calheta)
Ribeira Seca is a parish in the municipality of Calheta in the Portuguese Azores. In 2001, the population hovered around 1105, within an administrative area of 53.77 km² ....
was convicted and sentenced to the Limoeiro prison in Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
. The judges and councilmen of Calheta were also blamed for the defiance, although many escaped the sentence of the courts. As a general blanket coverage, the magistrate also considered the residents of the villa of Topo
Topo (Azores)
Topo, also known as Nossa Senhora do Rosário , is a civil parish on the northeastern corner of the municipality Calheta on the island of São Jorge...
(which then included the parish of Santo Antão
Santo Antão (Calheta)
Santo Antão is a civil parish in the eastern half of the municipality of Calheta, that extends from northern to southern coast of the island of São Jorge in the Azores. The population in 2001 was 921, its density is 28.48/km2 and the area is 32.34 km2....
), the villagers of Calheta and those northern parishes (Norte Grande and Norte Pequeno
Norte Pequeno
Norte Pequeno is a civil parish in the municipality of Calheta in the Portuguese Azores, located on the northern coast of the island of São Jorge...
) involved in the riot duplicitous in the events that occurred.
Consequences
Although some escaped, their property and the possessions of the convicted were seized to pay the tithe, as well as the expenses of the soldiers, the magistrate, judges, as well as the transport and lodging of the latter servants of the Crown. Consequently, many of the responsible parties were ruined: they were required to sell all their possessions in order to pay compensation, and those who failed were imprisoned in the Castle of São João Baptista, the prison in Angra or the jail in Horta, where many of them were to die of disease, famine or despair.As a consequence of the Taro Revolt, relations between the Jorgense municipalities became tense while inter-island relationships expanded: Calheta and Topo were polarized towards Angra, while Velas became a satellite of the city of Horta. Those residents who were impoverished by the taxation, were profoundly affected by successive crop failures and famines that occurred on the island, and many were forced to emigrate to Brazil or the United States.
The revolt was a low point in community life for the Jorgense population, and is remembered primarily in the coat-of-arms of some of the administrative centers.