FLAG OF BRAZIL: HISTORY AND MEANING - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

The flag of Brazil is the most important national symbol of the Federative Republic of Brazil, the largest country in Latin America. This flag is made up of a green cloth on which is a yellow diamond. Inside it, there is a blue circle with white stars, crossed by a white ribbon with the national motto "ORDEM E PROGRESSO" (Order and progress).

This pavilion is one of the oldest on the continent. It was established on November 19, 1889, after the formation of the Republic and since then, it has only had a slight modification in the stars. This occurred in 1992, after the restoration of democracy.

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The colors of the flag have been borrowed for various meanings. However, they have monarchical origin; green represented the Braganza Dynasty, while yellow represented the House of Habsburg. These colors were on the imperial flag.

The blue color of the central circle represents the sky of Rio de Janeiro on November 15, 1889, when the Republic of Brazil was proclaimed. The twenty-seven stars that are in it represent the states of the country and the Federal District. Also,

History

Colonial Brazil

Brazil was a Portuguese colony until 1822 and maintained kings of Portuguese origin until the end of the 19th century.

The first flags of the colony corresponded to those of the Empire of Portugal, Brazil did not have its own flag until one was formed in the Principality of Brazil. It consisted of a white cloth with a yellow armillary sphere, crowned with a cross and a small blue sphere.

Principality of Brazil (1645 to 1815)

United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarve (1815-1822)

After Napoléon's occupation of Portugal in 1808, Brazil became the Kingdom of Brazil. The Portuguese Court of the Braganza (or Bragança) had to migrate to Brazil due to the occupation. Its flag was dark blue, with a flat armillary sphere in the middle.

Kingdom of Brazil (1815-1822)

In 1815, after Napoleon's defeat, the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarve was established, with its capital in Rio de Janeiro. This flag was white, and in its central part the Portuguese arms and shield were superimposed on another armillary sphere.

Flag of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarve (1816-1821)

Flag of the Kingdom of Brazil (Prince Pedro)

The then royal prince of the Kingdom of Brazil (he was still part of Portugal), Don Pedro, asked the French painter and designer Jean-Baptiste Debret to design a personal banner. The result obtained was a green flag with a yellow diamond. Inside it, was the prince's shield.

Flag of the Kingdom of Brazil (from September 18 to December 1, 1822)

Empire of Brazil (1822–1889)

Independence movements had begun to grow throughout Latin America. After the Brazilian War of Independence between colonial Brazil and Portugal (1822-1824), the Empire of Brazil was established, with Pedro I as the first emperor.

So, starting in 1822 a new insignia was established for the nascent country. This was the same banner as Don Pedro. The difference is that he was now emperor, and that is why he changed his crown to the imperial one.

First flag of the Empire of Brazil (December 1, 1822 to 1870)

The independence of Brazil was uneven and that is why the transformation of the prince's banner into a national flag was done quickly. However, previously, the reasons why Jean-Baptiste Debret designed the flag are the subject of various theories.

There is consensus that green and yellow are the colors of the royal houses of Braganza and Habsburg, respectively. The dragon on the shield would be the one chosen as the symbol of the imperial family. However, it has also been argued that Debret was inspired by the symbols of the First French Empire to make the flag.

The imperial flag was slightly modified during the reign of Pedro II, when an extra star was added to the imperial arms to conform to the new territorial organization of the country.

The imperial flag was modified in small details during the reign of Pedro II, when an extra star was added to represent the new territorial organization of the country.

Second flag of the Empire of Brazil (1870 to November 15, 1889)

Republic

A coup d'état that occurred on November 15, 1889 ended the monarchy in Brazil. The republic was a fact and a flag was necessary. The most recognized republic in the world was the United States, and the chosen flag was inspired by its flag.

Ruy Barbosa, a Brazilian lawyer and politician, designed this first flag. It was composed of thirteen horizontal stripes alternated between yellow and green. In the upper left corner, there was a blue box with 21 stars, representing the states and the Federal District.

This flag had a very ephemeral use. It was hardly used between November 15 and 19, 1889. Its most prominent use was on the ship that took the Royal Family into exile. Marshal Deodoro da Fonseca vetoed the design, arguing that it resembled the flag of another state.

Provisional flag of the Republic of the United States of Brazil (November 15 to November 19, 1889).

New design: Raimundo Teixeira Mendes

Raimundo Teixeira Mendes, with the collaboration of Manuel Pereira, Décio Villares and Miguel Lemos, presented a project that aimed to replace the flag inspired by the United States, while maintaining the design of the imperial flag. However, inside the rhombus would be a dark blue disk, with the starry sky of the night of November 15, 1889 in Rio de Janeiro. Each star would represent a state, in their respective constellations. Also included was a positivist quote "Order and Progress."

This flag was officially adopted on November 19, 1889.

First flag of the Republic of the United States of Brazil (November 19, 1889 to April 14, 1960). 21 stars

This flag would be modified three times to add stars representing newly created states: 1960 (22 stars), 1968 (23 stars) and 1992 (27 stars).

Second flag of the Republic of Brazil (1960–1968). 22 stars

First flag of the Federal Republic of Brazil (1968-1992). 23 stars

Current flag (27 stars)

The last change was then on May 11, 1992, when 4 stars were added to the celestial blue disk, representing the new states created between 1982 and 1991. A small change was also made in the position of the stars to coincide with the coordinates. astronomical.

In the central part a band with the motto Ordem e Progresso (Order and Progress) was included. This phrase came from the French philosopher August Comte, who had inspired the ideas of the flag's creators.

Love by principle, order by base and progress finally (Comte).

Current flag. Second flag of the Federal Republic of Brazil (1992-present). 27 stars

Flag Composition

The current and current flag of the Federative Republic of Brazil has four colors: green, yellow, blue and white. Its structure includes three main geometric shapes: the rectangle of the flag, the yellow rhombus and the blue disk.

The green color of the background is light. The yellow of the rhombus is intense, as is the blue. All this structure corresponds to a simple design, which is made more complex by the stars.

Constellations in the blue disk

The blue disk inside the yellow rhombus is divided into two parts. The dividing line is a white tape, which gives depth to the disc by its arrangement. It is white and inside it is the national motto: Ordem e Progresso. The letters are sans serif and are written in green. The letter 'e' that joins both words is smaller than the rest.

The design within the blue disk is made up of 27 white stars, one of which represents a federal entity in Brazil. These stars have five different dimensions. In theory, its existence refers to the astronomical sky seen in Rio de Janeiro on November 15, 1889, the day of the establishment of the republic.

Among these stars, nine different constellations are present: Southern Cross, Scorpio, Can Major, Triangulum Australe, Canis Minoris, Hydra, Spica, Canopus and Sigma Octantis (south polar star).

Meaning

The Brazilian flag has historically been kept with little variation. However, this has not led to different meanings being given to their colors and symbols throughout history.

Historically, there is a consensus that the colors chosen for the flag have monarchical adjudication, because green represented the house of Braganza, while yellow did the same with that of Habsburg. The Portuguese royal family was Braganza, while Maria Leopoldina of Austria, wife of Don Pedro I, was from the House of Habsburg.

After the independence of Brazil, this motivation changed. In the decree of October 18, 1822, signed by the newly installed Emperor Pedro I, it was established that the green color was that of spring. Instead, yellow, corresponded to gold.

Since then, one of the most popular theories among Brazilian society has been established. This indicates that the green color corresponds to the nature of the country. On the other hand, yellow corresponds to natural resources, which can also be extended to social ones.

Meaning of the republican flag

After the fall of the monarchy in 1889 the republican flag was introduced. In the decree of approval, the perpetuity of the meaning of the colors was officially established. In this regulation it was indicated that the colors remembered "the struggles and glorious victories of the Army and Navy in defense of the homeland."

These colors were maintained because "regardless of the form of government, they symbolize the perpetuity and integrity of the homeland among other nations." This is why this design has been maintained throughout Brazilian republican life.

Raimundo Teixeira Mendes, creator of the Republican flag, added meanings to the flag. Maintaining the colors meant for him the permanence of Brazilian society. Instead, the new motto Ordem e Progresso signified the evolution towards a perfected political regime, and the spirit that it had to maintain.

Meaning of the stars of the blue disk

The Brazilian flag presents a peculiar characteristic among the flags of the world. This is because within its blue disk there are a series of constellations with different meanings.

The main one is the one that refers to the states. Regardless of the positions of each of the stars, they all have an assigned state. The Federal District has its own star.

The placement of the stars represents the visible cosmic space in Rio de Janeiro on November 15, 1889.

Although originally the stars tried to faithfully reproduce the Rio de Janeiro sky, various meanings have been given to it. For example, the stars of the Southern Cross were enlarged on the scale. In addition, they were assigned to the five most important states at that time: São Paulo, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, Bahia and Espírito Santo.

On the band with the national motto is a star, that of Espiga. This represents the state of Pará. Although spatially it should be in the lower part of the band, it was decided to place it in the upper part to represent the hemispheres in which Brazil is: north and south.

Constellations

The 9 constellations of the blue disk are:

1. Procyon (α Canis Minoris),
2. Canis Maior, whose largest star is Sirius,
3. Canopus (α Carinae),
4. Spica (α Virginis)
5. Hydra
6. Crux
7. Sigma Octantis (σ Octantis; Star of the South Pole)
8. Triangulum Australe
9. Scorpius, whose largest star is Antares

Government flags

The South American country also has three banners for its authorities.

Presidential banner

The President of the Republic has a green banner. In it, the Coat of Arms of the country is in the middle.

Banner of the Vice President

On the other hand, the Vice President of the Republic and the Minister of Defense also have banners. Both are yellow in color and share structure. The vice presidential has 23 blue stars in the shape of a cross. The upper left part has the coat of arms inside.

Banner of the defense minister

On the other hand, the flag of the Minister of Defense presents variations in form. In this case there are 21 blue stars that divide the flag in the shape of a cross, but its size is much smaller. The simplified version of the coat of arms is in the upper left corner. Its right end is trimmed in the shape of a triangle.

Military flags

Flag of the Brazilian Army

Brazilian navy flag

Chief of staff

Flag insignia of the Chief of the General Staff of the Brazilian Armed Forces.

References

1. Barbosa, J. (2009). To História das Bandeiras. Federal University of Campina Grande. Recovered from dsc.ufcg.edu.br.
2. International Astronomical Union. (sf). Naming Stars. International Astronomical Union. Recovered from iau.org.
3. Presidency of the Republic. Civil House. Subchefia for Legal Affairs. (1889). Decree No. 4, of November 19, 1889. Presidência da República. Recovered from planalto.gov.br.
4. Presidency of the Republic. Civil House. Subchefia for Legal Affairs. (1992). Law No 8,421, of May 11, 1992. Presidência da República. Recovered from planalto.gov.br.
5. Smith, W. (2018). Flag of Brazil. Encyclopædia Britannica. Recovered from britannica.com.