União dos Palmares
Encyclopedia
União dos Palmares is a municipality
located in the Brazilian state of Alagoas
. Its population was 59,369 (2005) and its area is 428 km². Surrounding agricultural land is largely dedicated to sugar cane and cattle. At one time, when the city was an active rail stop with regular passenger service, it was named simply União due to its rail junction joining Alagoas and Pernambuco
. The name was changed in 1944 to reflect its historic significance. The city is increasingly seeing domestic and foreign tourist drawn by historical and natural features that are now protected in Parque Nacional Serra da Barriga and Parque Memorial Quilombo dos Palmares.
. On a nearby hill was a mocambo
or, in more recent terms, a quilombo
. These were centers of African slaves fleeing and resisting slavery
. Known as the Quilombo dos Palmares this was the largest and most organizedhttp://www.articlemyriad.com/69.htm | Oppression and Rebellion: Slavery in Brazil and The Quilombo at Palmares of the many quilombos in Brazil. The most famous figure of the Quilombo dos Palmares was Zumbi dos Palmares
. The quilombo reached a population somewhere around 30,000 composed of former slaves and some Amerindian allies. Between 1672 and 1696 it withstood repeated attacks by colonial forces until it fell to regular forces with artillery.
of the Mata Atlântica
. The park attracts visitors both domestic and foreign to tourist accommodations around the city. The park and city were given publicity by a 20 November 2003 ceremonial opening by the President of Brazil.
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...
located in the Brazilian state of Alagoas
Alagoas
Alagoas is one of the 27 federative units of Brazil and is situated in the eastern part of the Northeast Region. It borders: Pernambuco ; Sergipe ; Bahia ; and the Atlantic Ocean . It occupies an area of 27,767 km², being slightly larger than Haiti...
. Its population was 59,369 (2005) and its area is 428 km². Surrounding agricultural land is largely dedicated to sugar cane and cattle. At one time, when the city was an active rail stop with regular passenger service, it was named simply União due to its rail junction joining Alagoas and Pernambuco
Pernambuco
Pernambuco is a state of Brazil, located in the Northeast region of the country. To the north are the states of Paraíba and Ceará, to the west is Piauí, to the south are Alagoas and Bahia, and to the east is the Atlantic Ocean. There are about of beaches, some of the most beautiful in the...
. The name was changed in 1944 to reflect its historic significance. The city is increasingly seeing domestic and foreign tourist drawn by historical and natural features that are now protected in Parque Nacional Serra da Barriga and Parque Memorial Quilombo dos Palmares.
History
The city of União dos Palmares has a historic importance to African-BraziliansAfro-Brazilian
In Brazil, the term "preto" is one of the five categories used by the Brazilian Census, along with "branco" , "pardo" , "amarelo" and "indígena"...
. On a nearby hill was a mocambo
Quilombo
A quilombo is a Brazilian hinterland settlement founded by people of African origin, Quilombolas, or Maroons. Most of the inhabitants of quilombos were escaped slaves and, in some cases, a minority of marginalised Portuguese, Brazilian aboriginals, Jews and Arabs, and/or other non-black,...
or, in more recent terms, a quilombo
Quilombo
A quilombo is a Brazilian hinterland settlement founded by people of African origin, Quilombolas, or Maroons. Most of the inhabitants of quilombos were escaped slaves and, in some cases, a minority of marginalised Portuguese, Brazilian aboriginals, Jews and Arabs, and/or other non-black,...
. These were centers of African slaves fleeing and resisting slavery
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...
. Known as the Quilombo dos Palmares this was the largest and most organizedhttp://www.articlemyriad.com/69.htm | Oppression and Rebellion: Slavery in Brazil and The Quilombo at Palmares of the many quilombos in Brazil. The most famous figure of the Quilombo dos Palmares was Zumbi dos Palmares
Zumbi
Zumbi , also known as Zumbi dos Palmares, was the last of the leaders of the Quilombo dos Palmares, in the present-day state of Alagoas, Brazil.-Quilombos:...
. The quilombo reached a population somewhere around 30,000 composed of former slaves and some Amerindian allies. Between 1672 and 1696 it withstood repeated attacks by colonial forces until it fell to regular forces with artillery.
Present Day Relationship to History
The city is the gateway to the Parque Memorial Quilombo dos Palmares in the Parque Nacional Serra da Barriga and described as "A Terra da Liberdade" (A land of liberty). Memorial celebrations attract visitors and the park is a natural area preserving endangered Atlantic semi-deciduous forestsAtlantic semi-deciduous forests
The Atlantic semi-deciduous forests, also known as the Atlantic interior forests, are a belt of tropical moist broadleaf forests that are part of the Atlantic Forests complex of eastern Brazil...
of the Mata Atlântica
Mata Atlântica
The Atlantic Forest is a region of tropical and subtropical moist forest, tropical dry forest, tropical savanna, semi deciduous forest and mangrove forests which extends along the Atlantic coast of Brazil from Rio Grande do Norte state in the north to Rio Grande do Sul state in the south, and...
. The park attracts visitors both domestic and foreign to tourist accommodations around the city. The park and city were given publicity by a 20 November 2003 ceremonial opening by the President of Brazil.