On 12 May 1798, a royal charter abolished the Diretório in the captaincy of Pará and set out new rules for Indigenous people in colonial towns and settlements. It criticized abuses by directors and formally restored some self-government to Indigenous residents. Yet it retained mechanisms for obtaining compulsory labor and did not extend autonomy to independent peoples outside colonial towns. The National Archives and scholarship emphasize that the policy was unevenly applied. Its promise of repair was therefore limited by colonial categories, labor demands, and continuing efforts to occupy Indigenous lands.
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What did the 12 May 1798 charter do?
The charter formally ended the Diretório in Pará but preserved compulsory labor mechanisms.
The 1798 charter abolished the Diretório in Pará and guaranteed full autonomy to all Indigenous nations.
It did not extend autonomy to independent peoples and retained compulsory labor mechanisms.