For several centuries, and in many parts of the western world, dowries were a essential signifier of womanhood. The transition from single to married life was marked by an economic evaluation of the bride which meant as much a form of protection for her, as it meant a means of advancement for the groom and a source of pride and status for the family. Customs and laws surrounding the institution of marriage were carried by the settlers from Europe to America as part of a broader cultural transfer, and the concept of the dowry was no exception. However, the economic and social circumstances of the new world altered the practice of the dowry -- as they would change other human institutions.
The southern Brazilian city of Sao Paulo is the scenario …
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