THE OCCUPATIONS OF BRAZIL’S POPULATION IN THE 17^TH C E N T U RY: AN ATTEMPT OF STANDARDIZATION

Abstract

This article surveys the occupations detected in Brazil, throughout the 17^th century, mainly in inquisitorial cases. In order to open the occupations’ research in this colonial society to global comparisons this work adopted the Historical International Standard Classification of Occupations (HISCO). This methodology is being applied for the first time to the early modern Brazil. With the results collected the occupations’ distribution was analyzed in different levels of description. The goal of this article is to demonstrate the occupational necessities of the different captaincies of Brazil, during the 17^th century, and under different conjunctures. The Portuguese advancement to the hinterland from some coastal settlements followed by an increasement of the military necessities is one of the evidences. The development of an economy strongly connected with the sugar production, with human contingents mostly in Pernambuco and Bahia dedicated to the several tasks in this industry, is also visible.

Keywords
Colonial Brazil; Occupations; HISCO; Inquisition; Human Migrations