The History of Rubber in Brazil

7/23/2019 The History of Rubber in Brazil

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Carson Barrow, Karsynn Tuttle, Kyong Park, Nora Cabrera, Nathallie Chavez

17 November 201

Pro!" Ko!!i #ao Kouame

$T%& 1100

The 'istory o! (ubber in Brazil

The to)i* we wish to +is*uss is the history o! rubber, whi*h originate+ a!ter the +is*overy

o! the rubber tree, s*ienti!i*ally *alle+ 'evea brasiliensis" This tree, originally +is*overe+ by

ol+er grou)s o! )eo)le, namely the lme*s living in Brazil, brought e*onomi* boost to the

*ountry near the beginning o! the in+ustrial revolution -late 1.th Century to early 20th Century/"

ue to gree+ an+ global tra+ing, the see+s nee+e+ to grow this tree were smuggle+ away !rom

Brazil to nglan+, allowing nglan+ to grow them" ventually these see+s en+e+ u) in other

*ountries that took )art in the in+ustrializing o! them in other )la*es besi+es Brazil" e want to

+is*uss generally what rubber +i+ to Brazil an+ some o! the e!!e*ts that rubber ha+ on the worl+"

e also want to talk about how this a!!e*te+ the )eo)le an+ in+ustry in Brazil in the years a!ter

this o**urren*e an+ also how the market ma+e the shi!t !rom booming in Brazil to going all the

way over to 3outheast %sia"

The history o! rubber is 4uite an interesting story to say the least" (ubber was originate+

in the heart o! Brazil in the nineteenth *entury" The Brazilian (ubber Boom is more so seen as a

+rama that entails love, loss, beauty, an+ brutality" (ubber e5iste+ long be!ore the 6n+ians o! the

%meri*as even knew what it was" The 6n+ians o! the %meri*as *ame in *onta*t with rubber in

su*h a way that they )laye+ with rubber balls, )rote*te+ their !eet with rubber shoes, an+ use+

rubber to water)roo! wea)ons an+ *aulk holes in their *anoes" -%it*hison, 2008/" 6t is e5tremely

interesting to look ba*k see how the 6n+ians were using rubber as a means o! living an+ +i+ not



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even know the e5tent o! the im)ortan*e o! what rubber is to+ay" ithout rubber, we woul+ not

being wearing some o! the shoes on our !eet, +riving the *ars that we +rive or any use o!

trans)ortation, or using the *ooking utensils that we so easily )i*k u) an+ +on9t think twi*e

about" The &ayans may not have been aware to the e5tent o! im)ortan*e o! what is now

rubber, but they *ertainly use+ it to their a+vantage" The &ayans *alle+ it caa-o-chu, meaning

:the tree that wee)s"; hen rubber later be*ame a *ru*ial *og in the gears o! the in+ustrial

revolution, this melan*holy name woul+ not be !orgotten" The )re*ious white tears o! the caa-o-

chu re)resente+ the su!!ering an+ +eath o! thousan+s o! inno*ent %meri*ans: -%it*hison, 2008/"

The &ayans were very in tune with their s)iritual )ra*ti*es an+ this is how they *ame u) with the

name Caa-o-chu< they mourne+ the love+ ones they ha+ all lost an+ !oun+ *om!ort in the

wee)ing trees"

6t is sai+ that by the 1709s, kna)sa*ks an+ army boots were being +e)orte+ !rom $isbom

to Belem to be water)roo!e+ by the 1=009s" New nglan+ was now getting shi)ments o! these

rubber shoes regularly an+ was given the o))ortunity to start +istributing these new )ro+u*ts<

this being one o! the many *auses o! the (ubber Boom" There was not a s)e*i!i* +ate regar+ing

when the boom a*tually took )la*e but it is sai+ that the boom starte+ with many *oin*i+ental

inventions +one by Charles &a*intosh, Charles >oo+year, an+ Thomas 'an*o*k"

6n 1=28, Charles &a*intosh starte+ manu!a*turing rubber *oate+ *loths while Thomas

'an*o*k was +evelo)ing a metho+ to make raw rubber more !le5ible" %lso, in 1=8. Charles

>oo+year +evelo)e+ the vul*anization )ro*ess" ?ul*anize+ rubber revolutionize+ the worl+ an+

le+ to many more won+er!ul inventions" @or one, rubber *ontra*e)tives a))eare+ in the 1=A0s"

ith ohn Boy+ unlo)s invention o! the !irst )neumati* rubber tire in 1===, the (ubber Boom



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rea*he+ its )eak" 'arvey @irestone an+ 'enry @or+ be*ame millionaires in the Dnite+ 3tates with

their automobiles an+ rubber tires"

The rubber boom was *entere+ in the %mazon an+ *ontribute+ to an im)ortant )art o! the

e*onomi* an+ so*ial history o! Brazil" 6t )rovi+e+ a large e5)ansion o! *olonization in Brazil as

well as attra*te+ wealth an+ *ause+ *ultural an+ so*ial trans!ormations" %t !irst, the natives o!

Brazil live+ )ra*ti*ally in isolation sin*e there was no gol+ an+ silver +is*overe+ in the %mazon

to hel) them +evelo) their region" They were Eust living in an e*onomy base+ on vegetable

e5tra*tion !or *enturies until the 6n+ustrial (evolution *ame along"

%t the beginning o! the nineteenth *entury, rubber began to attra*t the attention o! many

entre)reneurs" The 6n+ustrial (evolution in uro)e was the !use that ma+e natural rubber, until it

was e5*lusively !oun+ in the %mazon" Natural rubber !rom Brazil was +istin*tive in the

in+ustries o! North %meri*a an+ uro)e, rea*hing at a high value" The a*tivity o! late5 e5tra*tion

in the %mazon ma+e it a +esirable *ommo+ity" Be*ause o! the growth o! rubber e5tra*tion

numerous *ities an+ towns grew"

@rom 1.2= to 1.A, @or+ &otor Com)any trie+ to set u) two )ermanent rubber

)lantations in Brazil -:@or+ &otor Com)anys Brazilian (ubber Plantation;/" The goal o! setting

u) @or+lan+ia an+ Belterra was to su))ly @or+s +eman+ !or rubber as well as to )rovi+e a better

way o! li!e !or the Brazilians who live+ an+ worke+ on the )lantations" The )lantations +i+ show

bene!its o! the innovations o! agri*ulture an+ in+ustry relate+ to the *ommer*ial *ultivation but

as well !ailures in the )lantations su*h as the la*k o! un+erstan+ing o! the natives *ulture as well

as trying to im)ose a +ay to night work s*he+ule on the Brazilians"

The %mazon was alrea+y losing )rima*y in the rubber )ro+u*tion +ue to rubber trees

)lante+ by the nglish in &alaysia, 3ri $anka, an+ tro)i*al %!ri*a" The rubber tree, 'evea



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brasiliensis was native to the %mazon, but 70,000 see+s were smuggle+ out o! Brazil by 'enry

i*kham -(emembering the (ubber Boom/" This robbe+ Brazil !rom being the number one

e5)orter o! rubber" The +ominan*e o! astern uro)e attem)te+ to establish the worl+ )ri*e o!

rubber mu*h higher than how mu*h it *ost to )ro+u*e it" Be*ause three 4uarters o! rubber being

im)orte+ was use+ in the automobile in+ustry in %meri*a, the D"3" starte+ looking !or new

lo*ations !or )lantations to by)ass the un!air British )ri*es -@or+ &otor Com)anys Brazilian

(ubber Plantation/"

'enry @or+ was one o! the business owners who was most intereste+ in !in+ing alternate

lo*ations to grow rubber" 'e knew that the %mazon was the i+eal )la*e to grow these trees" 6t

was initially estimate+ that when the )lantation was *om)letely +evelo)e+ an+ in !ull motion, it

woul+ )ro+u*e enough rubber to make tires !or two million automobiles a year -@or+ &otor

Com)anys Brazilian (ubber Plantation/" There was a high interest throughout Brazil in @or+s

)lantations< they ho)e+ that @or+ *oul+ bring the rubber in+ustry ba*k to Brazil" ages !or the

em)loyees were +e*ent, an+ they were also )rovi+e+ with !oo+, shelter, an+ me+i*al *are" ne o!

maEor *on*erns was +isease, but by en!or*ing sanitation, they were able to era+i*ate &alaria an+

hookworm !rom the )lantation"

The @or+ )lantation *ontinue+ to )ro+u*e rubber but a lea! e)i+emi* +isease an+ labor

)roblems ma+e )ro+u*ing a reliable su))ly o! rubber +i!!i*ult" uring orl+ ar 66, the %mazon

+i+ rea*h a se*on+ rubber boom but only !or a brie! +uration with the hel) !rom the Dnite+

3tates" a)an ha+ +ominate+ most o! the rubber )lantations, whi*h *lose+ the uro)ean rubber

)lantations o!! !rom the rest o! the worl+ -(emembering the (ubber Boom/" %!ter the war an+

the reo)ening o! the other uro)ean rubber )lantations, @or+ +i+ not see the nee+ to kee) his



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Brazilian )lantations in )ro+u*tion so he gave u) his rubber interests in the %mazon to the

Brazilian government"

The +is*overy an+ the usage o! the Brazilian (ubber tree have brought !ortunes an+

interest !rom investors !rom +i!!erent *ountries" &any sought to invest in an+ grow rubber trees

in +i!!erent areas o! the worl+ in or+er to make more su))lies !or the growing +eman+ !rom the

*onsumers" 6n 1=7F, &r" i*kham obtaine+ Brazilian rubber tree see+s an+ starte+ the growth o!

the rubber trees in the 3outheast %sia" The Brazilian rubber tree takes about 2 years to grow to

take the li4ui+ late5 !rom the tree" The )ro*ess o! growing the tree takes great e!!ort !rom the

workers, who will *ure it an+ )rote*t it !rom )esti*i+es" The *hea) labor market o! the 3outheast

%sian *ountries an+ the tro)i*al *limate was )er!e*t !or the growth o! the rubber trees -%kers,

1.1A/"

%t !irst, the growth o! the rubber trees in the 3outheastern %sia region was not so

su**ess!ul +ue to the hite -Bran*a/ that was grown in %sia, whi*h was a weaker an+ less

yiel+ing rubber tree than the su)erior Brazilian Bla*k -Perta/ variety" The rubber that was ma+e

in the 3outheast %sian Countries was sol+ at 20 )er*ent less than the Brazilian rubber" The

*om)etition o! the authenti* Brazilian bla*k rubber trees an+ the %sian white rubber trees were

han+GtoGhan+ +ue to many +eman+s" 6n Brazil, the rubber trees were !ully grown an+ there were

many numbers o! them to yiel+ the rubber !rom" 6n %sia, rubber trees were Eust starting to yiel+

so the investors su**ess!ully ri+ o! the hite -Bran*a/ see+ an+ re)lante+ the su)erior Bla*k

-Perta/ rubber see+s" The new Bla*k -Perta/ rubber see+s were )lante+ in +i!!erent *lasses o! soil

to test out the best results, an+ with ai+ o! *are!ul *ultivation, the trees grew e5tremely well" The

similar weather o! the &alay Peninsula o! 3outheast %sia an+ the %mazon (ain!orest hel)e+ the

growth o! the new Bla*k (ubber see+s in %sia -%kers, 1.1A/"



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The labor market an+ the *hea) living *ost o! 3outheast %sia were e5tremely bene!i*ial

!or the investors" 6n the east, many live+ on ri*e an+ *urry, whi*h was )art o! the wage the

workers re*eive+" &any were ha))y with their )ay an+ the work +ue to the )overty" ith *are!ul

)lanning an+ a+ministrating, the growth o! the %sian rubber tree market begin to )ro+u*e more

su)erior rubbers than their white rubbers be!ore" 6n Brazil, many trees were grown naturally an+

they were slowly beginning to yiel+ !ewer *ro)s" hen the rubber trees in Brazil were +one, they

*oul+ not be ta))e+ without inEurious e!!e*ts until twelve or !i!teen years later" The rubber

in+ustry in 3outheast %sia is still growing to+ay, but times have *hange+" The 3outheast %sian

labor market wages have grown an+ the yiel+ing o! the rubber in %sia have been in +e*line" The

&alaysian government is en*ouraging their *itizens to work !or the market with )romising

bene!its -Pei, 201A/"

e still use rubber in our +aily lives to+ay, !rom erasers to tires" uring the 1Fth Century,

rubber was in huge +eman+ be*ause motor *ars ha+ re*ently been invente+" By 1.1A, when

rubber tree see+s were taken to south ast %sia, the in+ustry that *onsume+ Brazil *olla)se+

-(esor 1.77/" 'owever, Brazil takes heart an+ )ri+e in *ontinuing to be a !ountain o! natural

re*ourses !or the rest o! the worl+" Brazil is a *ountry who thrives with natural resour*es as we

e5)li*itly saw through rubber" The environment an+ nature have *hange+ sin*e the *olonial

times" Brazil has su!!ere+ tremen+ously in the han+s o! human interventions an+

+e!orestation" 6n re*ent years, +e!orestation has in*rease+" @rom uly 201A to uly 201 a re)ort

!rom 3% *laime+ that a F8H in*rease *om)are+ to the years %ugust 2018 to uly 201A"

es)ite o! the +e!orestation an+ *limate *hange, Brazil is still a worl+ )ro+u*er o! highly

+eman+e+ re*ourses" To+ay, Brazil is known !or being one o! the largest )ro+u*ers o! worl+

)ro+u*ts su*h as soybeans, *o!!ee, sugar, an+ orange Eui*e *on*entrate" 6t also takes the title o!



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being the se*on+ largest !oo+ )ro+u*er in the worl+" Brazil )ro+u*es 20H o! the worl+s annual

su))ly o! sugar" 5)orts a**ount !or 7"8H o! Brazils e*onomi* out)ut -Cummans 201/"

Brazils to) two e5)ort *ountries are China an+ the Dnite+ 3tates"

%s *an be seen, rubber has been an im)ortant )art not only o! $atin %meri*an history, but

o! orl+ 'istory as well" @rom the origins o! the )lant in Brazil to the *ultivation o! the )lant in

other )la*es, it has been an im)ortant !a*tor in the worl+ e*onomy an+ tra+e system throughout

!airly re*ent history an+ even to+ay" %lthough Brazil may have gotten the short en+ o! the sti*k

on the +eal a!ter the see+s were *a)ture+ an+ *arrie+ away to the ast, Brazil was arguably the

singleGmost im)ortant *ountry in the history o! rubber" (ubber brought tran4uility an+ stable

e*onomi* growth to many *or)orations all over the worl+, an+ is a *atalyst in the )ro+u*tion o!

mo+ern tools an+ te*hnology" 'a+ it not been !or the natural growth o! the )lant in Brazil, none

o! this !orwar+ )rogression woul+ have ever ha))ene+" To+ay, as state+, Brazil re*eives bene!its

o! many other *ro)s as well, still *ontributing to the worl+ e*onomy an+ tra+e system" 6n the en+,

everything turne+ out Eust !ine an+ the worl+ will !orever )ros)er !rom the history ma+e by

Brazil an+ the rubber tree"

Documents

The History of Rubber in Brazil