View source for Americana, São Paulo

{{Short description|Municipality in São Paulo, Southeast Brazil}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name      = Americana
|settlement_type    = [[Municipalities of Brazil|Municipality]]
|image_skyline      = Vista aérea de Americana.jpg
|imagesize          =
|image_caption      = View of Americana.
|image_flag         = Bandeira de Americana - SP.svg
|image_shield       = Brasão de Americana - SP.svg
|nickname           =
|motto              = ''Ex labore dulcedo'' ([[Latin language|Latin]])<br/>The joy from work{{force singular}}
|image_map          = SaoPaulo Municip Americana.svg
|mapsize            = 250px
|map_caption        = Location in São Paulo state.
|pushpin_map        =Brazil
|coordinates        = {{coord|22|44|19|S|47|19|52|W|region:BR|display=inline,title}}
|subdivision_type   = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name   = {{flag|Brazil}}
|subdivision_type1  = [[Regions of Brazil|Region]]
|subdivision_type2  = [[States of Brazil|State]]
| subdivision_type3       = Metropolitan Region
|subdivision_name1  = [[Southeast Region, Brazil|Southeast]]
|subdivision_name2  = [[São Paulo state|São Paulo]]
| subdivision_name3       = [[Metropolitan Region of Campinas|Campinas]]
|established_title  = Founded
|established_date   = August 27, 1875
|leader_title       = Mayor
|leader_name        = Francisco Antônio Sardelli ([[Green Party (Brazil)|PV]])
|area_total_km2     = 133.91
|area_note          =
|elevation_m        = 569
|elevation_ft       =
|population_total   = 237,240
|population_as_of   = 2022 <ref name="IBGE_Pop_2022">[https://cidades.ibge.gov.br/brasil/sp/americana/panorama IBGE 2022]</ref>
|population_density_km2 = auto
|population_demonym = Americanese
|timezone1          = [[Time in Brazil|BRT]]
|utc_offset1        = &minus;3
|timezone1_DST      = 
|utc_offset1_DST    = 
|postal_code_type   = Postal code
|postal_code        = 13465-000
|area_code          = (+55) 19
|website            = [http://www.americana.sp.gov.br Americana website]
|footnotes          =
|blank_name         = '''[[Human Development Index|HDI]]''' (2000)
|blank_info         = 0.840 – <span style="color:#090">high</span>
}}

'''Americana''' ({{IPA|pt|ameɾiˈkɐnɐ}}) is a municipality (''município'') located in the [[Brazil]]ian [[States of Brazil|state]] of [[São Paulo (state)|São Paulo]]. It is part of the [[Metropolitan Region of Campinas]].<ref>[http://www.agemcamp.sp.gov.br/rmc/ Região Metropolitana de Campinas]</ref> The population is 237,240 (2022 Census) in an area of {{convert|133.91|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}.<ref name="IBGE_Pop_2022" /> The original settlement developed around the local railway station, founded in 1875, and the development of a [[cotton]] weaving factory in a nearby farm.

After 1866, thousands of former [[Confederate States of America|Confederate]] soldiers and sympathizers from the [[American Civil War]] settled in the region. Following the Civil War, slavery was abolished in the United States. In Brazil, however, [[Slavery in Brazil|slavery was legal until 1888]], making it a particularly attractive location to the defeated Confederates, among whom was a former member of the [[Alabama State Senate]], [[William Hutchinson Norris]].<ref name="SS1" />

Around three hundred of the ''Confederados'' are members of the ''Fraternidade Descendência Americana'' (Fraternity of American Descendants). They meet quarterly at the Campo Cemetery.<ref name="SS1">{{cite web| last=Gage|first=Leighton| title=Brazilian Confederacy |url=https://sleuthsayers.blogspot.com/2012/01/brazilian-confederacy.html |publisher=Sleuthsayers| access-date=18 January 2012| location=São Paulo, Brasil| date=8 January 2012}}</ref>

The city was known as ''Vila dos Americanos'' ("Village of the Americans") until 1904, when it belonged to the city of [[Santa Bárbara d'Oeste]]. It became a district in 1924 and a municipality in 1953.

Americana has several museums and tourist attractions, including the ''Pedagogic Historical Museum'' and the ''Contemporary Art Museum''.

[[Rio Branco Esporte Clube]], founded in 1913, is the [[Association football|football]] (soccer) club of the city. The team plays their home matches at [[Estádio Décio Vitta]], which has a maximum capacity of 15,000 people.

==History==
The first records on the occupation of the lands where Americana now stands date from the late 18th century, when Domingos da Costa Machado I acquired a crown property between the municipalities of Vila Nova da Constituição (now [[Piracicaba]]) and Vila de São Carlos (now [[Campinas]]). In that area several estates were created, including Salto Grande, Machadinho, and Palmeiras.

A part of the property, which included the Machadinho estate, was sold by Domingos da Costa Machado II to Antônio Bueno Rangel. After Rangel's death, the estate was divided between his sons José and Basílio Bueno Rangel. A part of the property was afterwards sold to the captain of the [[National Guard (Brazil)|Brazilian National Guard]], Ignácio Corrêa Pacheco, who is considered the founder of Americana.<ref name="refe">BIANCO, Jessyr Americana – Edição Histórica. Americana: Editora Focus, 1975</ref><ref name="refe2">Jolumá Brito, História de Campinas Vol XVIII</ref><ref name="ref3">[http://www.americana.sp.gov.br/americanaV6_index.php?it=40&a=resumoHistorico Resumo Histórico - Prefeitura de Americana]</ref>

===Confederate immigration===
{{Main|Confederados}}

In 1866, the region started to be populated with [[Confederados|American immigrants]] from the former [[Confederate States of America]], who were fleeing the aftermath of the [[American Civil War]]. The Emperor [[Dom Pedro II]] was a fierce advocate of the South during the war, and openly recruited the former Confederates, offering free transport, cheap land, and an easy path to citizenship.<ref>{{cite news|title=They lost the Civil War and fled to Brazil. Their descendants refuse to take down the Confederate flag|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|date=July 11, 2020|last=McCoy|first=Terrence|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/the_americas/brazil-confederate-flag-civil-war-americana-santa-barbara/2020/07/11/1e8a7c84-bec4-11ea-b4f6-cb39cd8940fb_story.html}}</ref>

The first immigrant to arrive was the lawyer and ex-state [[Alabama Senate|senator]] from [[Alabama]], colonel [[William Hutchinson Norris]]. Norris installed himself in lands near the seat of the Machadinho estate and the [[Quilombo]] River.<ref name="SS1" />

Norris was to investigate and report on Brazil as a possible new home for Confederates who no longer wanted to live in the United States. His report was positive, and in 1867 the rest of his family arrived in Brazil, accompanied by other families from the Confederate States. These families settled in the region, bringing agricultural innovations and a kind of [[watermelon]] known as "[[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]]'s [[rattlesnake]]".<ref>[https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=19950504&slug=2119240 Confederates In Brazil: They Fled American South]</ref> Between 8,000 and 20,000 former Confederates emigrated to Brazil (not all to this one town). Slaves were inexpensive in Brazil, one noted, and at least 54 families bought 536 slaves after arrival in Brazil.

[[File:Steagall.jpg|thumb|right|Steagall confederate family in Americana]]

In 1875, almost a decade after the arrival of the Confederate immigrants in the region, the [[Companhia Paulista de Estradas de Ferro]] completed the expansion of its main railway to the city of [[Rio Claro, São Paulo|Rio Claro]]. A station was built within the lands of the Machadinho estate. Despite belonging to the municipality of Campinas, the station was made to serve the estates in the municipality of [[Santa Bárbara d'Oeste]], which was further away and had no station of its own.<ref name="SS1" />

The inauguration of the station counted the [[Pedro II of Brazil|Emperor Dom Pedro II]] and [[Gaston, comte d'Eu]] among those who attended. The station was baptized "Santa Bárbara station". It is unknown exactly when the small village became the city of Americana, but it is known that this village was created by the time of the inauguration of the railway station, and that it was Ignácio Corrêa Pacheco who distributed the lands. Pacheco is thus considered the founder of the city. The municipal holiday of Americana is still August 27, the day when the railway station was inaugurated.

[[File:bandeira velha.jpg|thumb|right|The old flag of Americana reflecting the city's Confederate origins<ref>[https://archive.today/20120709053601/http://devel.americana.sp.gov.br/americanaV5/americanaEsmv5_Index.php?it=6&a=simbolos&i=1& Conheça Americana.] Símbolos do Município, retrieved 27 January 2011.</ref>]]

The small town formed around the station was named "Villa da Estação de Santa Bárbara" (Santa Bárbara Station Town). Its inhabitants consisted mainly of American families, and the town became thus popularly known as "Villa dos Americanos" (Town of the Americans).<ref name="SS1" />

[[File:Terceiro Brasão de Americana.jpg|thumb|right|Confederate flag in the old coat of arms of Americana]]

The similarity between the official name of the town and that of the neighboring municipality frequently caused serious communication problems, such as mail to Santa Bárbara Station often being shipped to the municipality of Santa Bárbara, {{convert|10|km|mi|spell=in|sp=us}} away. In order to solve the problem, the railway company changed the name of the station in 1900 to "Estação de Villa Americana" (American Town Station). The name of the town itself was then also officially changed to "Villa Americana" (American Town).<ref name="refe"/><ref name="refe2"/><ref name="ref3"/>

The official song of the city says, in part:<ref>{{cite web |title=Símbolos do Município |author=Prefeitura de Americana |access-date=May 15, 2019 |date=2012 |url=http://devel.americana.sp.gov.br/americanaV5/americanaEsmv5_Index.php?it=6&a=simbolos&i=1& |archive-url= https://archive.today/20120709053601/http://devel.americana.sp.gov.br/americanaV5/americanaEsmv5_Index.php?it=6&a=simbolos&i=1& |url-status=dead |archive-date=2012-07-09}}</ref>

<blockquote><poem>The many Confederates
brought us
the wheelbarrow, watermelon,
cotton and the plow.</poem></blockquote>

The city celebrates an annual Confederate festival, named the "Festa Confederada". The [[Confederate battle flag|Confederate flag]] is prominently displayed, and men dress as Confederate soldiers.<ref>{{cite news |last=Souza |first=Felipe |date=August 19, 2017 |title='Não somos racistas': a comunidade de descendentes de confederados americanos no Brasil |language=Portuguese |trans-title='We are not racists': the community of American Confederate descendants in Brazil |url=https://www.bbc.com/portuguese/brasil-40931741 |publisher=[[BBC News]] |accessdate=September 13, 2021}}</ref>

===Carioba===
[[File:Casa de Cultura Hermann Muller Carioba.jpg|thumb|right|The German Casa de Cultura Hermann Muller Carioba]]

In the 1890s, the farm known as ''[[Fazenda]] Salto Grande'' was purchased by the [[United States|American]] Clement Willmot. Willmot established the first industry in Americana under the name Clement H. Willmot & Cia. In 1889, the factory was renamed ''Fábrica de Tecidos Carioba'' (Carioba Textile Factory). The name "Carioba" derives from the [[Tupi language|Tupi]] words for "white cloth".

The factory ran into financial trouble after the [[Lei Áurea|abolition of slavery in 1888]], and was purchased by [[German Brazilian|German immigrants]] who were members of the Müller family. The town of Carioba sprang up around the factory. German immigrants brought European-style urbanization to Carioba which is reflected in the style of its manors, factories, hotels, and schools. [[Bitumen|Asphalt]] of [[tar]] was then first imported from Europe into Americana and utilized in road paving. The factory became the basis for the present-day ''Parque Industrial de Americana'' (Industrial Park of Americana).<ref name="refe"/><ref name="refe2"/><ref name="ref3"/>

===Italian immigration===
On October 8, 1887, Joaquim Boer led a large group of Italian immigrants to Brazil. At Americana these Italian immigrants built their first church in 1896, dedicated to [[Saint Anthony of Padua]], who eventually became the [[patron saint]] of the city. Born in Portugal, and called Saint Anthony of Lisbon there, the saint who is among the three June popular saints in the Catholic calendar (the others being Saints John the Baptist and Peter) is celebrated on June 13 with typical Junine countryside Brazilian food, prayers of the rosary, square dance, liquor, and bonfire.

Although immigrants got incentives to come to Brazil, Italians who arrived before that did not seem to have enjoyed special privileges. They often lived within the quarters designed for enslaved Africans who also suffered from lack of comfort and healthy conditions. Those immigrants worked as [[indentured servants]], paying off their debts to farmers who had paid for their tickets and were exploited, until the system was revamped and improved. Their descendants went on to become laborers, merchants, and professionals.<ref name="refe"/><ref name="refe2"/><ref name="ref3"/>

===Elihu Root's visit===
[[File:Elihu Root, bw photo portrait, 1902.jpg|thumb|right|US Secretary of State Elihu Root in Americana]]

In 1906, two years after the creation of the Distrito de Paz de Villa Americana, the municipality received a visit from [[Elihu Root]], [[United States Secretary of State]], who had been attending and presiding over the [[Pan-American Conference]] held in [[Rio de Janeiro]]. After the conference, Root visited other parts of Brazil (such as [[Araras]]), and was informed of the existence of Americana. Root expressed interest in visiting the town, and was received at Americana with great emotion and affection. Hundreds of the residents received Root at nighttime.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=bwe6BQAAQBAJ&dq=Elihu+Root%27s+visit+in+americana+brazil%5B&pg=PA254 Elihu Root's visit]</ref>

===Autonomy===
With the change in status from village to district, Americana developed rapidly. Its first police force was created, a sub prefecture was established, and three [[street lights]] – lit by [[kerosene]] and brought from Germany – were introduced. A school was also established, with the sending of the educator Silvino José de Oliveira to represent Americana's interests with the state government. All of these developments led the local inhabitants to clamor for the status of a city.

In 1922, Villa Americana was one of the most progressive districts in Campinas with a population of 4,500. In this year, the fight to change its status to city began, led by Antonio Lobo and others, such as Lieutenant Antas de Abreu, Cícero Jones and Hermann Müller himself. Their efforts finally bore fruit: on November 12, 1924, the Municipality of Villa Americana was created,<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080115200857/http://www.americana.sp.gov.br/legislacao/Antigos/lei%201983-1924.htm Lei nº 1983 de 12 de novembro de 1924]</ref> comprising two districts: Villa Americana and [[Nova Odessa]], Nova Odessa later becoming its own municipality.

===Constitutionalist Revolution and economic development===
[[File:As Armas.jpg|thumb|right|A call to arms to the young men of Americana during the Constitutionalist Revolution]]

At the time of the beginning of the [[Getúlio Vargas]] dictatorship in Brazil in 1930, Americana was undergoing a profound economic transformation due to the rise of the [[textile]] industry there (the city was known as the "[[Rayon]] Capital").

In 1932, during the administration of Mayor Antonio Zanaga, the revolt known as the [[Constitutionalist Revolution]] erupted against Vargas' regime. Americana sent volunteers to this revolution, and three of them, Jorge Jones, Fernando de Camargo and Aristeu Valente (from [[Nova Odessa]], then part of Americana), perished during the struggle. Their sacrifice is remembered in Americana to this day.

In 1938, Mayor Zanaga changed the name of the town from Villa Americana to Americana, and due to the economic transformation of the town, the [[Comarca]] of Americana was created on December 31, 1953, during the administration of Mayor Jorge Arbix. In 1959, during the administration of Mayor Abrahim Abraham, Nova Odessa was made autonomous as its own municipality.<ref name="refe"/><ref name="refe2"/><ref name="ref3"/>

Between 1960 and 1970, the rapid development of Americana led many people to move there in search of work. Because of its size, there was not enough room to accommodate the new residents and many lived on the border of [[Santa Bárbara d'Oeste]] and Americana, creating what is known today as ''Zona Leste de Santa Bárbara'' (East Santa Barbara).

The same also occurred because the majority of the population were unaware of the location where one municipality ended and where another began. The confusion came about because municipal limits were not yet fully determined. The problem was solved with the creation of a major avenue, today called Avenida da Amizade (Friendship Avenue), which became the dividing line.

At the same time as these developments, some problems were also created. The sudden increase in population caused an imbalance in the public accounts of the municipality, which was not ready for such a great number of new residents.

==Geography==
[[File:Governo anuncia licitação para obras na SP-304, em Americana (34709653184).jpg|thumb|right|SP-304 Highway in Americana]]

===Location===
[[File:Foto aérea 02.jpg|thumb|right|Aerial view of rural Americana]]

Americana is located in the center-east region of the state of [[São Paulo (state)|São Paulo]], [[Southeast Region, Brazil|Southeast Region]].

* {{convert|124|km|mi|abbr=on}} from [[São Paulo]]
* {{convert|205|km|mi|abbr=on}} from the [[Port of Santos]]
* {{convert|35|km|mi|abbr=on}} from [[Campinas]]
* {{convert|110|km|mi|abbr=on}} from [[São Carlos]]
* {{convert|150|km|mi|abbr=on}} from [[São Bernardo do Campo]]
* {{convert|30|km|mi|abbr=on}} from [[Piracicaba]]
* {{convert|15|km|mi|abbr=on}} from [[Refinaria do Planalto Paulista|REPLAN]] em [[Paulínia]]

===Climate===
Americana has an altitude tropical climate,<ref>[https://pt.climate-data.org/america-do-sul/brasil/sao-paulo/americana-10494/ Climate of Americana]</ref> with hot summers and chilly winters. In winter, there is much less [[rainfall]] than in summer. According to [[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]] and [[Rudolf Geiger|Geiger]] the climate classification is Aw.

The median high temperature in summer is {{convert|84|F|C|order=flip}} and the median low is {{convert|64|F|C|order=flip}}, comparable to [[Boston]]. In [[winter]], the median high temperature is {{convert|72|F|C|order=flip}} and the median low temperature is {{convert|50|F|C|order=flip}}, comparable to [[Orlando, Florida]].

In Americana, the month with the most daily hours of sunshine is February with an average of 9.37 hours of sunshine. In total, there are 290.43 [[hour]]s of sunshine in February.

The month with the fewest daily hours of [[sunshine]] in Americana is January with an average of 8.87 hours of sunshine per day. In total, there are 266.09 hours of sunshine in January. About 3251.14 hours of sunshine are counted in Americana throughout the year. On average, there are 106.92 hours of sunshine per month.

===Ecology===
''[[Amblyomma]] sculptum'' and ''A. dubitatum'' are common here.<ref name="Ticks" /> In 2017, it was found that [[α-cypermethrin]] (pyrethroid) and [[flufenoxuron]] (benzoylurea chitin synthesis inhibitor) are [[insecticide efficacy|efficacious]] against populations in this area.<ref name="Ticks" /> These ticks are significant [[veterinary parasite]]s and so α-cyp and flufenoxuron are useful here for animal protection.<ref name="Ticks">{{Unbulleted list citebundle|{{*}} {{cite journal|year=2019|publisher=[[Elsevier]]|last2=Cooper|last4=Silver|last1=Liu|last3=Yu|last5=Zhang|last6=Zhu|volume=161|pages=33–46|first1=Xiaojian|first2=Anastasia M. W.|first3=Zhitao|first4=Kristopher|first5=Jianzhen|first6=Kun Yan|title=Progress and prospects of arthropod chitin pathways and structures as targets for pest management|journal=Pesticide Biochemistry and Physiology|issn=0048-3575|doi=10.1016/j.pestbp.2019.08.002|pmid=31685194|doi-access=free}}|{{*}} {{cite journal|year=2017|volume=238|pages=1–4|first1=José|publisher=[[Elsevier]] ([[American Association of Veterinary Parasitologists]] (AAVP) + European Veterinary Parasitology College (EVPC) + World Association for the Advancement of Veterinary Parasitology (WAAVP))|journal=[[Veterinary Parasitology (journal)|Veterinary Parasitology]]|issn=0304-4017|last1=Brites-Neto|last2=Brasil|first2=Jardel|last3=de Andrade| first3=Jeferson|last4=Saqui|first4=Gabriele Luciana|title=Evaluation of an association of alpha-cypermethrin and flufenoxuron for tick control in an area at risk of Brazilian spotted fever|doi=10.1016/j.vetpar.2017.03.002| pmid=28377149}}}}</ref>

==Demography==

===Population===
{{Historical populations of municipalities in the state of São Paulo
| 1872 = 
| 1890 = 
| 1900 = 
| 1910 = 
| 1920 = 
| 1925 = 10000
| 1929 = 12578
| 1934 = 12362
| 1937 = 13217
| 1940 = 13502
| 1946 = 16428
| 1950 = 21415
| 1958 = 31660
| 1960 = 42458
| 1970 = 66771
| 1980 = 122055
| 1991 = 153778
| 1996 = 167945
| 2000 = 182300
| 2010 = 210701
| 2022 = 237240
}}

According to the 2022 [[Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics|IBGE]] [[Census]], as of August 2022, Americana had a population of 237,240 and a population density of 1,771.61 (inhabitants / km<sup>2</sup>).<ref name="IBGE_Pop_2022" />

===Ethnic groups===
[[File:Festa-confederada-brasil-estados-unidos-santa-bárbara-doeste.JPG|thumb|right|Confederate descendants at a Confederate party]]

The population mainly descends from [[Southern United States|American Southerners]] and a mixture of Portuguese, Italian, German and Levantine immigrants, as well as some indigenous Brazilian and African peoples.

Because of its origins as a village settled by [[Confederate States of America|American Confederates]], it received the name "Americana", referring to "cidade" or city, the feminine form of "American", which in Portuguese means any native of the Americas, although often applied only to [[US citizens]].<ref name="SS1" />

Main ethnic groups:
* 84.6% White
* 12.0% Pardo (mixed-race)
* 2.4% Black
* 0.8% Asian
* 0.2% Native American

==Neighborhoods==
The municipality is currently divided into 10 planning areas, through the Integrated Development Master Plan, and the city is made up of 300 neighborhoods.<ref>{{cite web |access-date=2024-05-26 |language=Portuguese |title=Perfil do Município - Áreas de Planejamento |url=https://www.americana.sp.gov.br/americana-index.php?a=perfil-planejamento |website=Prefeitura de Americana}}<!-- auto-translated from Portuguese by Module:CS1 translator --></ref>

==Culture==

===Theaters===
[[File:Michel Teló - Americana, SP (June 2011) - 15.jpg|thumb|right|Show in Americana.]]

* The ''Teatro Arena Elis Regina'', or the ''Elis Regina Arena Theater'' (named after [[Elis Regina]]) was built in 1981 and became a venue for various artists. It was then abandoned to a state of dilapidation, having become a site of illegal activities. In 2000, reconstruction began, reopening on September 22, 2004. The theater was rebuilt with the idea of a circus in mind: it would offer various entertaining spectacles and activities simultaneously, and the theater was covered with a white canvas sheet, evoking the impression of lightness and brightness. The theater offers 1100 seats, two dressing rooms, and ample parking space.
* ''Teatro Municipal Lulu Benencasse'', or ''Lulu Benencasse Municipal Theater'', opened in 1986, occupying the building of the old ''Cine Brasil'', which for decades had been a hang-out for young ''americanenses''. Since its inauguration, it has served as the venue for various cultural offerings, such as plays, dance performances, and music, as well as different social and artistic programs. The theater was chosen as a film location by the producers of the film ''[[Por Trás do Pano]]'' (1999, with [[Denise Fraga]]) due to its traditional appearance. It has 840 seats.

===Municipal Library===
[[File:Biblioteca de Americana.jpg|thumb|right|Library of Americana]]

The Municipal Library, named after the teacher Jandira Basseto Pântano, was founded on October 25, 1955. It occupies the old building belonging to the Academic Group "Dr. Heitor Penteado" on Comendador Müller Square, near the Church of Santo Antônio. It contains 41429 books on various general subjects and 9051 children's books, totalling 50,480 books (as of June 1999), as well as 114 various newspapers and 24,500 magazines, including children's. The average number of visitors in 1998 was 600 people, who mostly came in the afternoon. Its enrolled number of associates totals 31,900 people, as of December 1998.

Jandira Basseto Pântano was born on October 27, 1918, in Americana. She received her elementary education at the Escolas Reunidas, one of the first schools founded in the city. She completed her education at Campinas and in January 1938 was named a substitute teacher at the Academic Group "Dr. Heitor Penteado" before becoming a full-time teacher there. She worked as a teacher at the school for 22 years, and was noted for her hard work and diligence. She worked with all of the grades, but she preferred to work with the fourth year students, and prepare them for the wider world. She retired on March 9, 1968, and died on June 7, 1988. Up until her death, she continued to receive students at her home, helping illiterate adults and poor children.

===Museums and cultural centers===
[[File:Museu Salto Grande Americana SP.jpg|thumb|right|Salto Grande Museum in Americana]]

* ''Museum of Contemporary Art'' (''Museu de Arte Contemporânea (MAC)''): Founded in 1978, it is found in a building attached to the Municipal Library. It contains 260 works of art by contemporary artists, including paintings, sculpture, engravings, designs, photographs, and artistic installations. The museum features exhibitions by local artists and by artists from other cities, as well as workshops and classes. It also contains a library and holds an annual national contest, which gives the "Prêmio Revelação de Artes Plásticas" (''Revelation Prize of Plastic Arts'') to young artists.
* ''"Conselheiro João Carrão" Historic and Pedagogical Museum'' (''Museu Histórico e Pedagógico "Conselheiro João Carrão''): This museum is located in the old farm known as Salto Grande built in colonial [[Minas Gerais]] style from [[taipa (Portuguese Building Material)|taipa]] according to the "pilão" technique, where the material is piled and compressed into horizontal layers a course at a time, with foundations made from real wood. Located at the confluence of the [[Atibaia River|Atibaia]] and [[Jaguari River (Piracicaba River)|Jaguari]] Rivers, the museum contains photographs, maps, historical artifacts and machines, furniture, and torture devices used during the slavery system.

===Religion===
[[File:Igreja de Carioba.jpg|thumb|right|Church in Americana]]

* ''[[Roman Catholicism]]'': Since the dismemberment of the [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Campinas]] in 1976, Americana fell under the diocese of [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Limeira]]. Americana has a strong Catholic tradition due to the influence of Luso-Brazilians and of its [[Italian Brazilian|Italian immigrants]], who first began arriving in 1887. The first church at Americana was built in the middle of 1896 and dedicated to [[Saint Anthony of Padua]], who became the [[patron saint]] of the city. The city has one of the largest Catholic churches in the country built in the [[Neoclassical architecture|Neoclassical]] style, the New Church of Saint Anthony (''Matriz Nova de Santo Antônio''), the largest in the diocese.<ref name="diocese">[http://www.oliberalnet.com.br/cadernos/cidades_ver.asp?c=02EA8F6FB46 Matéria no Jornal O Liberal sobre a Matriz] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071027113014/http://www.oliberalnet.com.br/cadernos/cidades_ver.asp?c=02EA8F6FB46 |date=2007-10-27 }}</ref>
* ''[[Protestantism]] and [[evangelicalism]]'': Americana is also home to adherents of Protestant denominations such as the [[Church of the Nazarene|Nazarene]], [[Presbyterian]], [[Methodist]], [[Baptist]], [[Assembly of God]], [[Seventh-day Adventist Church|Adventist]], [[Pentecostal]] denominations such as [[Universal Church of the Kingdom of God|Universal Church]] and [[Restorationist]] denominations such as the [[Jehovah's Witnesses]] and [[the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]]. Immigrants from the Southern United States brought with them various customs and religions, mostly of the Presbyterian and Baptist persuasions.

==Infrastructure==
[[File:Rodoviária de Americana.jpg|thumb|right|Bus station in Americana]]

===Bus station===
Named Terminal Rodoviario Francisco Luiz Bendilatti, the Americana bus station has been in operation since 1988 and is located in the Campo Limpo neighborhood. The location receives buses from more than thirty locations, which operate in the Southeast, South and Center-west regions of Brazil. The main cities connected with Americana bus station are [[São Paulo]], [[Goiânia]], [[Curitiba]], [[Araraquara]], [[Osasco]], [[Limeira]], [[Santo André]], [[Cascavel]], [[Londrina]] and [[Maringá]]. The Terminal has twenty-five cargo transport companies.<ref>[https://onibuz.com/rodoviaria-de-americana/ Americana Bus Station]</ref>

===Airport===
[[File:Esquadrilha Oi Beech E18S, em Americana. - panoramio (1).jpg|thumb|right|Aerial spectacle in Americana]]

The main and closest airport in the area is in the neighboring city of Campinas, [[Campinas International Airport]], and the main airport in Brazil and [[South America]], in the city of São Paulo, [[São Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport]], is in the same state.

===Sports===
In [[Association football|football]], the city is represented by [[Rio Branco Esporte Clube]], founded on August 4, 1913. Rio Branco played in series A1 of the [[Campeonato Paulista de Futebol|Campeonato Paulista]] since 1992 and was [[Promotion and relegation|relegated]] to A2 in 2009.

It used to play in series C of the [[Campeonato Brasileiro Série C|Campeonato Brasileiro]]. The team plays in [[Décio Vitta]], with a capacity of 15,000.

Americana is also the hometown of [[Paralympics]] swimmer Danilo Binda Glasser, winner of two bronze medals in the Paralympics of Sydney 2000 and at Athens 2004, and footballer [[Oscar (footballer born 1991)|Oscar]], a silver medallist at the 2012 London Olympics, a 2013 FIFA [[Confederations Cup]] champion, a 2011&ndash;2012 [[UEFA Champions League]] champion [[Chelsea F.C.]] player.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/news/chelsea-midfielder-oscar-feels-huge-071200532--sow.html |title=Chelsea midfielder Oscar feels 'huge disappointment' after Brazil defeat - Yahoo Sports |website=sports.yahoo.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131204141520/http://sports.yahoo.com/news/chelsea-midfielder-oscar-feels-huge-071200532--sow.html |archive-date=2013-12-04}}</ref>

In 2014, the city hosted the first [[Pan-American Korfball Championship]].<ref>[http://www.ikf.org/events/ikf-pan-american-korfball-championship/ IKF Pan-American Championships] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131116195327/http://www.ikf.org/events/ikf-pan-american-korfball-championship/ |date=November 16, 2013 }}</ref>

==Media==
In telecommunications, the city was served by [[:pt:Telecomunicações de São Paulo|Telecomunicações de São Paulo]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imprensaoficial.com.br/DO/BuscaDO2001Documento_11_4.aspx?link=/1973/ineditoriais/abril/24/p1/pag_0054_DUI6O3SN7V5CNe7E7ANSRTTG04F.pdf&pagina=54&data=24/04/1973&caderno=Ineditoriais&paginaordenacao=100054|title=Creation of Telesp - April 12, 1973|access-date=2024-05-26|website=www.imprensaoficial.com.br|language=Portuguese}}</ref> In July 1998, this company was acquired by Telefónica, which adopted the [[Vivo (telecommunications company)|Vivo]] brand in 2012.<ref name=":vivo" />

The company is currently an operator of cell phones, fixed lines, internet (fiber optics/4G) and television (satellite and cable).<ref name=":vivo">{{cite web|url=https://ri.telefonica.com.br/en/the-company/our-history/|title=Our History - Telefônica RI|access-date=2024-05-26|website=Telefônica}}</ref>

==Notable people==
*[[Oscar (footballer, born 1991)|Oscar]], footballer

==See also==
* [[Confederados]]
* [[American Brazilians]]
* [[List of municipalities in the state of São Paulo by population]]
* [[Interior of São Paulo]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book|title=The lost colony of the Confederacy|last=Harter|first=Eugene C.|date=1985|isbn=0878052593|url=https://archive.org/details/lostcolonyofconf0000hart/page/n7/mode/2up|location=[[Jackson, Mississippi]]|publisher=[[University Press of Mississippi]]}}

==External links==
<!-- Per [[WP:ELMINOFFICIAL]], choose one official website only -->
{{Commons category|Americana (São Paulo)}}
* {{in lang|pt}} {{official website|http://www.americana.sp.gov.br/}}

{{Foreign countries in the American Civil War}}
{{Americans abroad}}
{{Ancestry and ethnicity in Brazil}}
{{São Paulo state|Campinas}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Americana, SP, Brasil}}
[[Category:1875 establishments in Brazil]]
[[Category:Municipalities in São Paulo (state)]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1875]]
[[Category:Confederate expatriates]]
[[Category:American expatriates in Brazil]]
[[Category:Brazilian people of American descent|*]]
[[Category:American diaspora in South America]]
[[Category:Americana, São Paulo]]