towns of the Jamaican Maroons to put down the rebellion, suppressing it within two weeks. Some 14 whites were killed by armed slave battalions, but more than 200 slaves were killed by troops. South America Brazil April 7, 1831 – Pedro I abdicates as emperor of Brazil in favor of his 5-year-old son Pedro II, who will reign for almost 59 years. November 7, 1831 – Slave trading is forbidden in Brazil. 1834 – In the Empire of Brazil, the Additional Act provides: Establishment of the Provincial Legislative Assembly Extinction of the State Council Replacement of the Regency Trina Introduction of a direct and secret ballot. January 24, 1835 - a major slave rebellion known as the Malê revolt takes place in Salvador da Bahia. Riograndense Republic September 20, 1835 – Ragamuffin War begins in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. September 11, 1836 – Rio-Grandense Republic is proclaimed in South America. Uruguay July 18, 1830 – Uruguay adopts its first constitution. 1835 – Civil war erupts in Uruguay between supporters of Blanco and Colorado parties. Argentina 1835 – Juan Manuel de Rosas becomes Caudillo of Argentina. Falkland Islands January 3, 1833 – Britain retakes the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic. Peru January 20, 1839 – Battle of Yungay: Chile defeats the Peruvian-Bolivian Confederation, leading to the restoration of an independent Peru. Ecuador May 13, 1830 – Ecuador separates from Gran Colombia. February 12, 1832 – Ecuador annexes the Galapagos Islands. Chile May 25, 1833 – The Chilean Constitution of 1833 is promulgated. Science and technology Astronomy Robert's Quartet, a group of galaxies, is discovered. March 14, 1834 – John Herschel discovers the open cluster of stars now known as NGC 3603, observing from the Cape of Good Hope. May 15, 1836 – Francis Baily, during an eclipse of the sun, observes the phenomenon named after him as Baily's beads. 1838 – Friedrich Bessel makes the first accurate measurement of distance to a star. 1839 – The first parallax measurement of the distance to Alpha Centauri is published by Thomas Henderson. Mechanical Engineering July 17, 1830 – Barthélemy Thimonnier is granted a patent (#7454) for a sewing machine in France; it chains stitches at 200/minute. August 31, 1830 – Edwin Beard Budding is granted a patent for the invention of the lawnmower. February 25, 1836 – Samuel Colt receives a United States patent for the Colt revolver, the first revolving