Final answer:
The abolition of slavery in Brazil involved a sequence of government policies and changing social and economic factors rather than armed uprisings or external revolutions. It was achieved through laws and shifting perspectives about a modern society.
Step-by-step explanation:
Abolition of Slavery in Brazil
The steps that led to the abolition of slavery in Brazil in 1888 primarily involve government-led emancipation policies. While there was no single event that ended slavery in Brazil, a series of laws and events contributed to its gradual demise. Initially, Brazil ended the slave trade in 1850 under international pressure from Britain. Further reforms included the 1871 law freeing children born to enslaved women and the 1885 law that mandated freedom for enslaved individuals at the age of sixty. The role of enslaved soldiers during the War of the Triple Alliance and the reduction of labor needs with the shift from sugar cane to coffee cultivation also played significant roles. Ultimately, it was the combination of these factors, along with a growing belief in the need for a modern and industrialized society, that led to the formal abolition of slavery by King Pedro II in 1888.