Pedro I is best recognized as the man who announced Brazil independent from Portugal in 1822. The general population of Brazil, who had delighted in the privilege of being the seat of imperial authority, did not take well to returning to province status. Because of his father's advice and also his wife's advice, Pedro proclaimed independence on September 7, 1822 in the city of São Paulo.
Nationalism heightened in the 19th century and heading into the 20th century. The nationalistic fervor by people in Europe had them each viewing their own nations as better than the others, in competition with the others. This would lead to an increase in tension between the nations.
Imperialism expanded on that nationalistic rivalry by carrying their competition to other parts of the globe. The nations of Europe sought to grab control for themselves over parts of Asia and Africa. When war erupted, that also meant it would become a world war because the European nations would include people from their imperial territories in the war.
Militarism grew ever more potent as the 20th century opened. The competition between nations included a massive arms race in terms of expanding armies and navies. The nations also sided up in competing military alliances and made military battle plans as to how they might fight a war if war came. When a cause for war broke out, all those preparations propelled the nations of Europe into war recklessly.
Champlain led them to New France. :)
