This was first brazilian flag, after Independence,with the new country under portuguese D. Pedro I, first Brazilian Emperor. It says:Vis unita major nunc et semper (The bigger force united now and forever)

After Republic this was first flag. But it was rejected because it was too "inspired" on american flag...




...some layouts for a new flag.


...and the actual one, created by Teixeira Mendes, a brazilian Positivist thinker

Brazil was discovered by portuguese and just around 300 years later become independent, but still with a portuguese-brazilian emperor, D. Pedro I. Later, the country become a Republic and choose its first brazilian flag.

Our first flag seemed a lot with American flag, just using green and yellow stripes...But one year after, on november 19,1889, it was changed for actual flag, and this day is known as Brazilian Flag Day.

Each star on our flag means one of brazilian states. Along time, as state´s number has changed, the flag got more stars. Actually are 27 stars. In a common sense, traditionally, the colours has a meaning too: the green from our forest, the yellow of richness, the white for peace and the blue is our sky. The stars are disposed as seen on Rio de Janeiro on 15, november 1889, when Republic was proclaimed.

In Brazil we have a different relationship from Americans has with their, for instance. On USA, American flag is everywhere: at clothes, motorcycle helmets and even in underwear, which reflects the traditional American patriotic sense! In Brazil, maybe because on military concepts that oriented our society on 60 - 80ies, we have a distant, respectfull treatment for the flag.

All brazilian people, when was a child, had to sing brazilian hymn and see the flag become open at school. In general all of us, when children liked it!

Despite this, we don´t have this intimacy with our national symbol. Besides it has a deep meaning for brazilian people, that shows it on special occasions… as on World Cup!

Some curiosities:

- Brazilian flag is the only in the world that reflects the astronomical sky
- Brazilian flag was inspired on Positivism Philosophy, at that time a success between Brazilian Army.
- On 1892, Brazilian Congress thought about removing the slogan "order and progress" from brazilian flag, because it was considered bad taste. But people didn´t agree and it´s still on the flag until today...

Sources:
http://www.mv-brasil.org/brasil_bandeirahistoria5.html
http://www.zenite.nu/index.htm

Knowbrazil - more