September 7: Independence Day in Brazil
Prayer Idea
Pray for the people and government of Brazil.
Map by Peter Hermes Furian / Shutterstock.com.
History Note
Brazil is the largest country in South America and the largest and most populous Portuguese-speaking nation in the world.
Millions of Indigenous people lived in the region of Brazil when European explorers came around 1500. In remote parts of the Amazon rainforest, several dozen communities of Indigenous people still have little or no contact with the outside world.
Brazil became part of the Portuguese Empire while Spain took over most of the rest of South America. When Napoleon invaded Portugal in 1807, the Portuguese royal family and other nobles fled for safety to Brazil. When King João VI returned to Portugal in 1821, he left his son, Pedro, as regent of Brazil.
Pedro ended up leading a movement for the independence of Brazil, which he and his followers declared on September 7, 1822. Pedro in Brazil and João in Portugal eventually agreed to the separation of the two countries.
Brazil has a population of 220 million. Many people have a mixture of Indigenous, European, and African ancestry. Just over half of the people are members of the Roman Catholic Church, and about 27% are members of a Protestant denomination.
This 2024 photo shows soldiers participating in a parade on Independence Day in Rio de Janeiro. Photo by Aydin Gulec / Shutterstock.com.
Learn More
This tourism video highlights aspects of Brazil's history and culture in honor of the country's 200th anniversary in 2022.
Find more resources at Homeschool History.
