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KIDS UNITED
Brazil's Independence Day
Brazil was first discovered by Europeans in 1500 by the Portuguese navigator Pedro Alvarez Cabral and was colonized by Portugal soon thereafter.
After hundreds of years of colonial rule, Dom Pedro proclaimed Brazil's independence from Portugal in 1822. Dom Pedro was named Emperor and first he, then his son, ruled the country until 1889 when Brazil became a republic.
Brazil's inhabitants are descendants of a mixture of people. Portuguese colonizers mixed with native Indians and the Africans who had been brought to the country as slaves. Dutch and French colonization also took place in the Northeast.
In the 19th century, waves of German, Italian, Polish and Japanese immigrants added new elements to the mixture. Brazilians are perhaps the most racially mixed people in the world.
Portuguese is the national language although English is widely spoken. On this special day Janaina and her brother Sebastiao will celebrate with friends and family.
Friends will bring acaraje (deep fried black-eyed peas) and mandioca frita (deep fried cassava) for appetizers. For dessert everyone will enjoy Bolo de Laranja (orange cake). They will dance the night away to Samba.
Janaina and her brother Sebastiao wish everyone a Happy Independence day, and hope everyone has a great 1st month back to school.
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