The Confederacy

America once engaged in a conflict with itself, and from 1861 to 1865, two armies—the Union and the Confederacy—fought it out. Because the Confederacy was defeated, the nation is still referred to as the United States and not the Confederate States. However, some people really clung to the dream despite this, which is why a disproportionate number of people still fly Confederate flags or otherwise honor the losing team. This is one of the rare but widespread instances of people supporting the underdogs.

There are a few Confederate supporters in the South, but if you travel much further south, you'll find a lot more fervent supporters. After 10,000 Confederates fled the country to avoid losing to the United States, the town of Americana was established in Brazil in 1865. They established a new town in Brazil where the Confederados still celebrate their Confederate ancestry and fly the Confederate flag in order to preserve their Southern, Confederate way of life.

The migration was funded by Brazil's ruler, who hoped to benefit from Southern farmers and turn Brazil into an agricultural superpower like the US. Despite the failure of that strategy, some people persisted, and now their descendants continue to honor their history.