Crianças e Jovens Carentes na Época do Brasil Colônia

Abstract

The article explores the situation of underprivileged children and youth during the Brazilian colonial period, highlighting their recruitment into military institutions and ships. With a labor shortage, many boys, often under 15 years old, were forced to work on ships, where they were treated as adults. Recruitment was not limited to children but also included slaves and delinquents. Military institutions served as places of correction and education, providing a form of learning, albeit precarious. The article also mentions legislation regulating recruitment, establishing a minimum age of 16 for military service. The analysis reveals how these practices reflected the perception of childhood at the time, which was very different from contemporary views.