What if soldiers could take over a government without hurting anyone? That is exactly what happened in Portugal on April 25, 1974. Soldiers overthrew the government, but almost no one was hurt. The country had been ruled by dictators for nearly 50 years. People could not vote freely, speak out, or read certain books. When the soldiers moved into Lisbon, Portugal's capital, people flooded the streets. A woman named Celeste Caeiro was carrying carnations, red and white flowers. She began putting them into the soldiers' gun barrels. Others followed, and soon soldiers and citizens were carrying flowers everywhere. This is why it is called the Carnation Revolution. Portugal sits on the western edge of Europe. Spain borders it to the east. The Atlantic Ocean lies to the west. Its location made it one of the great seafaring nations in history. Portuguese explorers sailed to Brazil, Africa, and Asia. After the revolution, Portugal became a democracy where people could vote and speak freely. Today, April 25 is called Freedom Day and is one of Portugal's most important holidays.