History of South America

Additional Act of 1834

The Additional Act from 1834 was a set of changes introduced in the Constitution of 1824.

Historical Context

Members of the Trina Regency:Brigadier Francisco de Lima e Silva and Senators José Joaquim Campos and Nicolau de Campos Vergueiro.

Brazil was going through a troubled moment. With the abdication of Dom Pedro I, the country was experiencing a vacuum of power, as the heir to the throne was only five years old. To govern the country, a Triune Regency was installed and this period became known as the Regency Period.

However, there were several ideological currents that were vying for space on the political scene.

Equally, separatist rebellions broke out in the country. In the south, the War of the Farrapos was intensified and threatened with the secession of the provinces of São Pedro do Rio Grande and Santa Catarina. To the north, Cabanagem threatened landowners and merchants with their popular demands.

Read more about the War of the Rags and Cabanagem.

Additional Act of 1834

The Additional Act was a constitutional amendment, the result of an agreement between liberals and conservatives. Some institutions of the Constitution of 1824 were maintained, such as the Senate for life and the census vote, but there were significant liberal changes.

Below we highlight the main changes of the Additional Act:

  • The provinces would have greater autonomy;
  • Provincial Legislative Assemblies were created and deputies were elected for two years;
  • provincial governments could raise taxes, hire and fire employees;
  • the Trina regency became Una;
  • the regent would be elected by secret ballot for a term of four years;
  • the Council of State was extinguished;
  • the Moderating Power – exclusive attribution of the Emperor – has been suspended;
  • the creation of the Neutral Municipality of Rio de Janeiro. The capital of the Province of Rio de Janeiro would be the city of Niterói.

Election to the first Legislative Assembly of São Paulo in 1835.

Interpretive Law of 1840

In 1837, without political support, Diego Antônio Feijó resigns as Regente Uno. Then assumes Araújo Lima. Conservative, Araújo Lima defended the strengthening of central power as a way to put an end to provincial rebellions.

Therefore, the legislators enacted the Interpretative Law of the Additional Act which determined:

  • Creation of two political parties:Conservative and Liberal;
  • decrease in the autonomy of the provinces obtained with the Additional Act of 1834.

Faced with the growth of the conflict in the south of the country, the War of the Farrapos, the liberals started to support the anticipation of Dom Pedro's majority. Again, it was necessary to change the law to make this possible and this fact became known as the Majority Coup.


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