In honor of the Black History Month, we're starting this blog in February, talking about how Capoeira evolved throughout history, starting with the African slave trade. This Afro-Brazilian Martial Arts dates back to abut 500 years ago, when the slave trade had begun bringing slaves to Brazil. From there slaves from West and Central Africa assembled senzalas (slave quarters), and with establishment of these quarters came distinct traditions, languages, food, dance, and of course Capoeira. Slave settlements in Brazil were first established in the 16th century, when the land was colonized by Portugal, using slavery to build and sustain the economy by working in agricultural development. Slaves in Brazil were mainly working in sugar cane farms to supply Portugal with something to trade other European countries with. Slaves lived in inhumane conditions, having to work all day long, where many of them died, suffered loss of limbs, as well as physical punishment from their owners. Ev