om the start. The legislators were Brazilian, while the emperor was Portuguese, as were his advisors. The battles were inevitable. Six months after opening, the Assembly closed and the legislators scattered after Pedro sent troops to break up the body. Pedro promulgated a new constitution four months later, in March 1824 (Burns, 1980, p. 164).
This new constitution created four branches of government, but vested most of the power in the monarch. A tumultuous seven years followed, with Pedro mismanaging foreign and domestic affairs while keeping an eye on Portugal, where the throne was up for grabs. Brazilians grew restive as Pedro displayed less and less respect for the rule of law. Finally, in 1831, he abdicated and returned to Portugal, leaving his five-year-old son, Pedro II, to rule Brazil (Burns, 1980, pp. 169-170).
PedroÆs departure tipped the scales back to the legislature. The Assembly replaced PedroÆs Portuguese-born administrators with Brazilians, and the Assembly appointed a three-man regency (with greatly reduced powers) to rule until Pedro II turned 18. The 1830s proved to be just as tumultuous. The government faced several provincial rebellions, provoked by worsening economic conditions. That turmoil prompted many Brazilians to long for the return of a strong monarch. Many began to clamor for the emperorÆs son, Pedro II, to be crowned at once (Burns, 1980, pp. 172-75).
They got their wish. In 1840, at age 14, Pedro II ascended to the throne. Pedro II proved adept at the political game, consolidating power by playing the two political parties (Liberal and Conservative) against one another. By 1847, Pedro II felt comfortable enough to reform his government. No longer would he appoint all of the Council of Ministers. Instead, he would just appoint the CouncilÆs president (thus creating the post of Prime Minister), who would then pick his subordinates (Burns, 1980, pp. 177-78).
BrazilÆs go...