Editing Roraima (section)

== History ==
{{main|History of Roraima}}
The first [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]] settlers arrived in the region by the [[Branco River]]. Before the arrival of the Portuguese, the [[English people|English]] and the [[Dutch people|Dutch]] were already attracted to the region, to explore the Branco River Valley through the [[The Guianas|Guyanas]]. [[Portugal]]'s sovereignty over the region was only established after the [[Spaniards]] invaded the northern part of the Branco River, along with the [[Uraricoera River]]. From 1725, [[Carmelites|Carmelite missionaries]] began the task of converting the [[Indigenous peoples in Brazil|indigenous peoples]] in the region.<ref name=":8">{{Cite web|title=A história de Roraima|url=http://www.roraimavirtual.com.br/historia_rr.htm|access-date=February 16, 2016|website=Roraima Virtual}}</ref>

The Portuguese occupation intensified from the 1730s when it traveled the Branco River in search of consolidation of the borders and indigenous labour. For this, they organized rescue troops (purchase of indigenous people transformed into slaves during wars of opposing ethnic groups), war troops (punishment and enslavement of indigenous people who attacked Portuguese nuclei or prevented evangelization) and the search for Brazilian products for sale, the so-called ''[[sertão]]'' drugs. Also, they promoted descents – villages of missionaries and indigenous volunteers or compulsory.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Filho|first=Gregório F.G.|date=2012|title=O Forte São Joaquim e a construção da fronteira no extremo norte: a ocupação portuguesa no vale do rio Branco (1775-1800)|url=http://coral.ufsm.br/ppgh/images/MESTRADO/dissertacoes/turma2011/Dissertacao-Gregorio-Ferreira%20-%202012.pdf|access-date=April 5, 2019|website=Dissertação de Mestrado|publisher=[[Federal University of Santa Maria]]}}</ref>
[[File:Boa Vista antiga 1.jpg|left|thumb|Aerial view of the [[Boa Vista, Roraima|Boa Vista]] region at the beginning of the 20th century.]]
In the middle of the 18th century, the [[List of Portuguese monarchs|Portuguese Crown]] became concerned with the constant Spanish expeditions to the western region of the [[Amazon rainforest|Amazon]]. Thus, the idea of creating the Royal Captaincy of São José do Rio Negro was considered, which occurred through the Royal Charter of March 3, 1755. The main reason for the creation of the captaincy was the fear of the Spanish threat from the [[Viceroyalty of Peru]], and the arising fear from the Dutch expeditions in [[Suriname]] to trade and imprison indigenous peoples.<ref name=":9">{{Cite web|date=2016-06-13|title=Roraima|url=https://www.portalsaofrancisco.com.br/turismo/roraima|access-date=2021-04-25|website=Portal São Francisco|language=pt}}</ref>

The demarcations foresaw by the [[Treaty of Madrid (13 January 1750)|Treaty of Madrid, of 1750]], also lead to a great extent: with the creation of a new administrative unit in the region, the intention was to implement, in practice, the colonization of the Upper [[Negro River (Amazon)|Negro River]], creating the necessary infrastructure for the meeting and the work of the Portuguese and Spanish demarcation committees, and this meeting never took place, having Portuguese moulds temporarily occupied the course of the lower Branco River in the meantime, carrying out plantations of [[manioc]] and other food, for the provisioning of the commission.<ref name=":9" />

The São Joaquim Fort, built in 1755 at the confluence of the Uraricoiera River with the [[Takutu River]], was decisive in the conquest of the Branco River by the Portuguese. The Fort, which no longer exists today, had the main purpose of providing the Portuguese with total sovereignty of Portugal over the lands of the Branco River Valley, which aroused international greed due to its little exploitation.<ref name=":8" />
[[File:Povoado de Nossa Senhora da Conceição (Roraima).jpg|thumb|Village of Nossa Senhora da Conceição according to Alexandre Rodrigues Ferreira, late 18th century.]]
The Portuguese colonizers, after assuming sovereignty and total control of the region, created several villages and towns in the locality, together with indigenous natives. Nossa Senhora da Conceição and Santo Antônio, on the Uraricoera River; São Felipe, on the Takutu River and Nossa Senhora do Carmo and Santa Bárbara, on the Branco River, were the main settlements created at the time, housing a significant population number. However, due to the conflicts between the indigenous and the colonizers, because the indigenous people did not accept to submit to the conditions imposed by the Portuguese, the villages did not develop.<ref name=":8" />

To guarantee the presence of the Portuguese settlers in the lands of the Branco River Valley, commander Manuel da Gama Lôbo d'Almada started breeding cattle and horses in the territory, in 1789. The farms of São Bento, São José and São Marcos, on the Uraricoera and Takutu rivers, respectively, were the first to permanently introduce cattle and equine breeding, between 1793 and 1799. Currently, the São Marcos farm belongs to the indigenous people and is located in front of the place where Fort São Joaquim was located.<ref name=":8" />
[[File:Centro cívico de Boa Vista.jpg|thumb|Centre of Boa Vista]]
For a year, between 1810 and 1811, English soldiers entered the Valley but were expelled by the commander of São Joaquim Fort. The border between [[Brazil]] and [[Guyana]], whose border demarcation process had already been closed, needed to be re-marked, due to the great English invasions that occurred in that period.<ref name=":8" /> Therefore, the colonization of the Branco River was divided into four periods: From 1750 to the beginning of the 19th century, with the discovery of the Branco River; from the mid-19th century until the creation of the municipality of [[Boa Vista, Roraima|Boa Vista]], in 1890; from 1890 until the creation of the Federal Territory of Rio Branco; and the creation of the Federal Territory of Rio Branco to elevate it to the category of Brazilian federative unit renamed Roraima.<ref name=":8" />

Decree-Law No. 5,812 of September 13, 1943, which dismembered the state of [[Amazonas (Brazilian state)|Amazonas]], created the Federal Territory of Rio Branco. In 1962, the territory was called the Federal Territory of Roraima and elevated to the category of Brazilian federative unit by the [[Brazilian Constitution of 1988]].<ref name=":9" />

The colonization of the region was highly encouraged at the end of the 19th century, with the establishment of National Farms. However, the state's population only found stability after its emancipation, a century later, with the gold and diamond mines that attracted migratory waves from different regions of the country. This disorderly immigration and exploitation resulted in many conflicts and deaths due to illnesses and murders in the locality.<ref name=":9" /> Currently, almost all of the state's [[Lands inhabited by indigenous peoples|indigenous reserves]] are approved.<ref name=":9" />