Around the World: Independence Day [Brazil]

September 7 is the Brazillian independence day.

Originally a portuguese colony, Brazil was chosen as a safe haven by João VI (John the sixth) and the portuguese royal family and court during the Peninsular War (1808-1814), Napoleon's invasion of Spain and Portugal, which in effect transformed the colony into the Empire's center of government. When events in the homeland demanded the return of the king to Portugal, João VI left his first born, Pedro of Alcântara, as the regent prince of Brazil. As the royals left, most of the money acumulated in the state coffers left with them, along with most of the privileges instituted in brazillian society during the exile period, causing a wave of discontent that would culminate in all out revolt joined and in fact led by Dom Pedro himself. When the portuguese royal court ordered Dom Pedro to return to Lisbon, meaning to replace him by more suitable regents, the brazillian court asked him to consider staying to which he replied "Tell the people (of Brazil) I stay", on January 9, 1822, a date known to this day as "Stay Day" (Dia do Fico).

On September 7, 1822, Dom Pedro received an ultimatum from his father, demanding his immediate return to the homeland and Brazil's total submission to Lisbon. He was on the bank of the Ipiranga river (modern day São Paulo) when he got this message, to which it is said he replied crying "Independence or death!", the turning point in Brazil's emancipation struggle, this has become known as the "the cry of Ipiranga" (o grito do Ipiranga), an expression that became synonymous to revolt and independence in portuguese popular culture.

Reality or myth, this was a seminal moment in the independence process, which would come about on December 1st, 1822, when Dom Pedro was crowned emperor of Brazil, and September 7 is thus considered Independence Day in Brazil, and celebrated as such since then. 

About the Brazillian flag:
Green with a large yellow diamond in the center bearing a blue celestial globe with 27 white five-pointed stars; the globe has a white equatorial band with the motto ORDEM E PROGRESSO (Order and Progress); the current flag was inspired by the banner of the former Empire of Brazil (1822-1889); on the imperial flag, the green represented the House of Braganza of Pedro I, the first Emperor of Brazil, while the yellow stood for the Habsburg Family of his wife; on the modern flag the green represents the forests of the country and the yellow rhombus its mineral wealth; the blue circle and stars, which replaced the coat of arms of the original flag, depict the sky over Rio de Janeiro on the morning of 15 November 1889 - the day the Republic of Brazil was declared. The number of stars has changed with the creation of new states and has risen from an original 21 to the current 27 (one for each state and the Federal District).
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