History
Native peoples moved into the area, which sprung up around an establishment known as Taquari’s farm. In the 15th century, Portuguese explorers came to Brazil and claimed the land for Portugal.
Bahia became the center of sugar cultivation from the 16th to the 18th centuries. Integral to the sugar economy was the importation of a vast number of African slaves; more than 35% of all slaves taken from Africa were sent to Brazil, mostly to be processed in Bahia before being sent to work in plantations elsewhere in the country. This is reflected in Serra Preta’s population, which is mainly mixed races, mostly African.
Read more about this topic: Serra Preta
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