History: cannon 24 - SIGA nº 015897

​

  This howitzer was cast by order of the Marquis of Pombal, whose coat of arms decorates the piece. In 1750, the Marquis of Pombal assumed the position of prime minister of Portugal, so he managed not only the metropolis but also its colonies. The almost 30 years he held this position directly influenced the colonization process in Brazil, so much so that this period is called the Pombaline era.

​

  The marquis created a series of measures that maintained the commercial monopoly with colonial Brazil and also deepened metropolitan domination — for instance, the end of hereditary captaincies, the intensification of gold exploration (even though the gold sector was already experiencing a major crisis), and the transfer of the capital from Salvador to Rio de Janeiro. These measures reveal a certain obstinate greed and favor the south and southeast regions of Brazil in relation to the Northeast - a favoritism that is sustained to this day.

​

  In 2020, the northeast region received only 3% of the funding released for the Bolsa Família program, whereas the south and southeast regions received 75%. The Bolsa Família program (today called Auxilio Brasil) is a federal program that grants financial resources to impoverished families. The project privileges families subject to greater social vulnerability, living in municipalities with less assistance, which in theory should benefit the north and northeast regions, where in fact the families suffering most greatly from misery are concentrated.