We no longer know what it’s like to live in freedom, which we didn’t have before April 25, 1974, but it’s important to remember this date, when a peaceful military coup put an end to the Estado Novo dictatorship and brought democracy with it.
Did you know that before April 25, 1974, there were no mixed classes? Or that half a dozen people couldn’t get together to discuss ideas?
In this list you’ll learn other facts about what wasn ‘t possible before April 25.
1 – Boys to one side, girls to the other
Children had to wear uniforms and were separated by gender. There were no mixed classes.
And sometimes girls went to school in the morning and boys in the afternoon.
2 – There was no freedom of expression
You couldn’t say anything bad about the government or express any contrary opinion.
Everything passed through the strict “blue pencil” of censorship and it was common for books, music, drawings and news items to be seized for jeopardizing public order.
3 – There was no free vote
And women could only vote if they had a secondary education.
4 – Nurses, telephone operators and TAP flight attendants couldn’t get married
And female teachers had to have a special permit. All married women needed their husband’s permission to leave the country alone.
5 – Groups of people were not allowed to get together to talk or discuss ideas
Even fewer associations or meetings were allowed .
6 – Workers’ Day was not allowed to be celebrated
In 1974, when freedom was already at hand, there were several popular celebrations across the country. In Lisbon alone, more than a million people took to the streets.
Lisboa com videomapping, concertos e fogo de artifício para celebrar o 25 de Abril