The Geographical Notion of Country in the Old Republic – Brazilian treaties and borders

Abstract

During the transition from the Empire to the Republic, a series of border treaties took place in Brazil, mainly in the Amazonian region. Such processes contribute to forge the idea of a new map of Brazil. With undemarcated confines and borders, natives and workers start to integrate a state territory and its nationalization process is intensified. In this sense, the Republic establishes new policies for colonization as well as for the conquest of the territory. From the national press event and the reports by different state administration professionals, a first understanding on the confines that permeates the imaginary of the country’s “center” is forged, which impells new forms of apprehension of the country – Brazil. This paper discusses how such changes are incorporated in the school system by means of illustrated didactic books editions and verifies – from the theme of the new configuration of the country – the function of Geography teaching as a fundamental discipline in the shaping process of the national ideology and the internal differentiation of the South-American continent as well.