A história do Brasil e a construção da identidade nacional pelos livros didáticos do século XIX (1831-1898)

Abstract

This thesis investigates the role of Brazilian history in the process of construction of national identity in the 19th century, taking as its empirical object textbooks published between 1831 and 1898. The investigation focused on the historical content of five Brazilian history books intended for secondary education. , they are: Summary of the History of Brazil until 1828 (1831) by Major Henrique Luiz de Niemeyer Bellegarde based on the translation by Ferdinand Denis (1798-1890), Compendium of the History of Brazil (1843) by General José Ignácio de Abreu e Lima , Lessons on the History of Brazil (1861) by Dr. Joaquim Manoel de Macedo, Lessons on the History of Brazil (1895) by Father Raphael Maria Galanti and Lessons on the History of Brazil (1898) by Dr. Luís de Queirós Mattoso Maia. The research´s nature is qualitative with a documentary and historical bias, working in the perspective of Cultural History, due to its relationship with school culture and the history of education. The comparative analysis concerning the contents revealed the relevance between the history of Brazil in the respective textbooks and the process of building a national identity as a State project during the 19th century. Textbooks, as vehicles that port values, contributed to producing an imaginary about Brazil as a politically autonomous nation, organized administratively and territorially. In addition to the economic dimension, they showed that Brazil had a political and cultural connection with Portugal, for even though the transition from colony to Empire, an agent of the House of Bragança remained on the throne. The historical narratives, considered ready-made, tended towards a positivist bias, composing a linear and exemplary history which facts presented a cause and effect relationship, but without space for articulation and reflection, therefore inducing an isolated analysis of historical events. Furthermore, they were characterized by the exaltation of national heroes, the chronological organization of facts and the valorization of documents as sources of historical truths. Also it was noticed traces of historicism, mainly regarding the insertion of man in a certain historical universe of exemplary values. According to the books, it is concluded that the national identity disseminated to Brazilians was that they descended from a white, portuguese and catholic people, originated during the colonization, and did not have indian or black African descent.