Constituent Cortes of 1820 facts for kids
The Constituent Cortes of 1820 was Portugal's first modern parliament. It was also known as the General and Extraordinary Cortes of the Portuguese Nation. This important assembly was formed after the Liberal Revolution of 1820. Its main goal was to create a new constitution for Portugal and all its overseas lands, including Brazil.
Unlike older parliaments, this Cortes chose its members in a new way. People from all parts of society could be elected, not just nobles or clergy. The Cortes met in Lisbon from January 24, 1821, to November 4, 1822. Their hard work led to the creation of the Portuguese Constitution of 1822.
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How Were Members Chosen?
After the revolution in Oporto, a temporary government decided to hold elections for the Cortes. They set up rules for choosing representatives. At first, these rules only included Portugal, which made people in Brazil unhappy. So, the rules were changed to include representatives from Brazil too. This was a big step, as it meant people from the overseas territories would also have a voice.
The election system was quite detailed. It involved several steps of voting. Men over 25 (or sometimes 21) who had a job could vote for local electors. These electors then chose county voters, who finally met to elect the actual representatives for the Cortes. There was one representative for every 30,000 people. Even though the process was new and complex, most representatives in Portugal were elected by Christmas 1820.
In Brazil, this new election system changed the old "captaincies" into provinces. Many Brazilian provinces quickly agreed to join the Cortes. However, some representatives from places like Minas Gerais and Rio Grande do Sul chose to stay in Brazil. They did this to show support for the regent, Dom Pedro. In total, 97 representatives and their alternates were elected from Brazil.
Creating the Constitution
The Cortes worked quickly. On March 9, 1821, they approved the "Bases of the Constitution." This was a basic outline for the new laws. King John VI of Portugal agreed to this document when he returned from Brazil on July 4.
Based on these guidelines, the Cortes then wrote the full constitution. It was officially approved on September 30, 1822. This was Portugal's very first constitution. The Cortes held its last meeting on November 4, 1822. Even though the 1822 constitution was not in use for a long time, it became a major source of inspiration for future liberal ideas in Portugal. It even influenced Portugal's first republican constitution almost a century later.
Growing Apart: Portugal and Brazil
In August 1821, the Cortes started discussing how to reorganize the government. They wanted to change Brazil's local governments and courts. They also demanded that Prince Regent Dom Pedro return to Lisbon right away. These talks began before the Brazilian representatives even arrived, and they caused a lot of tension between Lisbon and Dom Pedro's government in Brazil.
Another disagreement was about trade between Brazil and Portugal. To try and solve these issues, a special group with six Brazilian and six Portuguese representatives was formed in March 1822.
The Brazilian representatives wanted a "dual monarchy." This meant Portugal and Brazil would be like two equal partners in one empire. But the Portuguese representatives wanted a "unitary state," where Portugal would have more control over Brazil. This difference of opinion caused more and more tension, especially after Dom Pedro decided to stay in Brazil in January 1822. On May 4, Dom Pedro declared that no decision from the Cortes could be put into action in Brazil without his approval.
On September 23 and 24, 1822, the new Political Constitution of the Portuguese Monarchy was signed. Out of 46 Brazilian representatives, 39 signed it.
See also
Images for kids
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Portuguese Cortes 1822, by Oscar Pereira da Silva
