As luzes do tempo: Baptista Caetano de Almeida, projeto civilizacional e práticas políticas no Brasil pós-Independência

Abstract

The decades of 1820 and 1830 comprised an effort to consolidate the nascent nation-state of Brazil. The great task of the leaders after the independence process of political break with Portugal was to consolidate Brazil as an autonomous political body focused on maintaining the continuity of the monarchy and the dynasty of Bragança, executed in figure D. Pedro I. Thus, this paper discusses the actions of one of the leaders in the province of Minas Gerais: Baptista Caetano de Almeida. Merchant and influential politician, Baptista Caetano was one of the main promoters of the “moderate liberal”. To do so, opened the first library/public library in the province and brought to the village of São João del-Rei their first printing. These actions, along with a desired literary society, constituted a “civilizational project” that aimed to educate and forge a new nation. Search is from the life histories of Baptista Caetano de Almeida understand the political practices experienced in the context of formation of the Brazilian Imperial State.