Coat of Arms of Brazil facts for kids
The coat of arms of Brazil is a special symbol that represents the country. It was chosen on November 19, 1889. This was just four days after Brazil changed from an empire to a republic, which means it became a country governed by its people through elected leaders.
This important symbol helps tell the story of Brazil and what is important to its people.
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What Does the Coat of Arms Show?
The coat of arms has several interesting parts, each with a special meaning.
The Main Design
In the middle of the coat of arms, you'll see a blue circle. Inside this circle is the Southern Cross, which is a famous group of stars you can see in the sky from the Southern Hemisphere. In Portuguese, it's called Portuguese: Cruzeiro do Sul.
Around the blue circle, there's a ring of 27 stars. These stars stand for all of Brazil's states and its Federal District, where the capital city is located. Each star represents one part of the country.
Important Crops
The central part of the coat of arms is surrounded by two types of branches:
Both coffee and tobacco have been very important crops for Brazil's economy and history. They show how farming has played a big role in the country's development.
The Blue Ribbon
At the bottom of the coat of arms, there is a blue ribbon. This ribbon has two lines of writing:
- The first line says "República Federativa do Brasil," which is the official name of the country in Portuguese. It means "Federative Republic of Brazil."
- The second line shows the date November 15, 1889. This is the day when Brazil officially became a federative republic.
History of the Brazilian Coat of Arms
Brazil's coat of arms has changed over time. Before it became a republic, Brazil was an empire. The empire also had its own coat of arms, which looked different from the one used today.
When Brazil became a republic in 1889, it needed new national symbols to represent its new form of government. The current coat of arms was designed to reflect these changes and the new identity of the country. It was officially adopted on November 19, 1889, just a few days after the republic was formed.
The design of the coat of arms was created by a famous artist named Décio Villares. He made sure the symbols chosen would represent Brazil's values and history.
Images for kids
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Imperial Coat of arms, design of the first reign (note the crimson velvet within the Crown), kept in usage in the early second reign, until the Coronation of Emperor Pedro II (when the design of the Crown was modified, to reflect the shape of the new Crown, and its dark green velvet cap (1 December 1822 – 18 July 1840)
See also
In Spanish: Escudo del Brasil para niños