But, apart from the agitation of secret societies like the "Rays and Suns of Bolivar," which was soon checked, the colony remained tranquil.
In Portuguese America the knowledge of what had occurred throughout the Spanish dominions could not fail to awaken a desire for independence.
The Prince Regent was well aware of the discontent of the Brazilians, but he thought to allay it by substantial concessions.

In 1815 he proceeded to elevate the colony to substantial equality with the mother country by joining them under the title of "United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil, and the Algarves." The next year the Prince Regent himself became King under the name of John IV.

The flame of discontent, nevertheless, continued to smolder.

Republican outbreaks, though quelled without much difficulty, recurred.

Even the reforms which had been instituted by John himself while Regent, and which had assured freer communication with the world at large, only emphasized more and more the absurdity of permitting a feeble little land like Portugal to retain its hold upon a region so extensive and valuable as Brazil.
The events of 1820 in Portugal hastened the movement toward independence.