| Independence Day Dia da Independência |
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|---|---|
Independence Day parade in Brasília |
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| Also called | Sete de Setembro (7th of September) Dia da Pátria (Nation's Day) |
| Observed by | Brazil |
| Type | National |
| Significance | The day of the Declaration of Independence of Brazil |
| Date | September 7 |
| Celebrations | Parades and concerts |
The Independence Day of Brazil (Portuguese: Dia da Independência), commonly called Sete de Setembro (7th of September), is a national holiday observed in Brazil on September 7 of every year. The date celebrates Brazil's Declaration of Independence from Portugal on September 7, 1822.
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In 1808, French troops commanded by Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte invaded Portugal as a retaliation for the Iberian country's refusal to participate in the trade embargo against the United Kingdom. Fleeing persecution, the Portuguese monarchs transferred the Portuguese Court from Lisbon to Salvador, then capital of Colonial Brazil. In 1815, Prince Regent John VI created the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves, elevating Brazil to the rank of kingdom and increasing its administrative independence.
A political revolution erupted in Portugal in 1820, forcing the royal family to return. John VI's heir, Pedro I, Prince of Brazil, remained in Brazil. In 1821, the Portuguese Assembly demanded Brazil to return to its former condition of colony and the return of the heir prince to Portugal. Pedro, influenced by the Rio de Janeiro Senate (Senado da Câmara) refused to return on January 9, 1822, a date which became known as Dia do Fico (Stand Day).
On September 2, 1822, a new decree with Lisbon's demands arrived in Rio de Janeiro, while Prince Pedro was in São Paulo. Princess Maria Leopoldina, acting as Princess Regent, met with the Council of Ministers and decided to send her husband a letter advising him to proclaim Brazil's independence. The letter reached Prince Pedro on September 7, 1822. That same day, in a famous scene at the shore of the Ipiranga River, he declared the country's independence, ending 322 years of colonial dominance of Portugal over Brazil.[1] According to journalist Laurentino Gomes, which wrote a book about the event, Prince Pedro "could not wait for his arrival to São Paulo to announce the decision".[2] Gomes adds that "he was a reckless man in his decisions but he had the profile of leader that Brazil needed at the time, because there was no time to think".[2]
Independence Day is a national holiday marked by patriotic displays in most Brazilian cities.
In Brasília, the celebration takes place at the Ministries Esplanade with a military parade in the presence of the President of Brazil. Around 30,000 people attend the event each year, which costs about one million reais.[6][7] Similar military parades are held in all the state capitals, and in many cities throughout the country.
In New York City, the Brazilian Day is held annually to celebrate the Independence Day.[8] The event takes place at 46th Street, near Times Square, in Manhattan.[9] The Brazilian Day concert is the centerpiece of the event, featuring famous Brazilian musicians, such as Daniela Mercury, Ivete Sangalo, Chitãozinho & Xororó, Skank, Sandy & Junior, Cláudia Leitte, and Banda Calypso. In 2008, the event drew a crowd of 1.5 million people, according to the New York City Police Department.[8] The Brazilian television network Globo sponsors the event and airs it live to Brazil and over 115 countries through Globo International Network.
Similar events are held in Deerfield Beach, Florida,[10] San Diego,[11] Toronto,[12] Los Angeles,[13] and London, United Kingdom.[14]