in the celebration's initial manifestations - and on into today - the rich would don the clothes of the lower classes and poor people would dress up as kings and queens, totally upending what remains a relatively strict social order for a week of delirious freedom.

in the first carnivals, processions of dancers and musicians, called cordões (cords) and the famous processions of cars, called corsos, emerged and gained popularity into the 19th century. 

people would decorate their cars, disguise themselves and in groups, parade through the city streets, giving rise to the endless floats that make up carnaval today.

the celebrations became increasingly popular in the 20th century and grew considerably during this period due to the advent of marchinhas carnavalescas, or carnival marches, music designed to further animate the revelers.