Abstract
This article discusses public instruction in the province of Piauí and its expansion from 1822, with the formation of the Brazilian Empire, to 1834, with the enforcement of the Additional Act to the Constitution - which ended the educational model implemented with the Aulas Régias. Within this timeframe, the Brazilian Empire experienced a series of unsuccessful attempts to institutionalize public education. This is a historical research with a bibliographic basis, including the existing literature on the subject, the legislation in force in the period, and documentation from to the Public Archives of the State of Piauí (APEPI), especially that issued by the Provincial Presidency and the Provincial Assembly. These data fostered a dialogue that enabled new perspectives on the history of education and the reflection on other dimensions of the local social fabric of the period. Resulting from the little interest and limited investment of public authorities in the development of public education, the results indicate a slow expansion in such arena, combined with a productive model that demanded little formal knowledge in its daily practices.
Keywords:
History; education; public instruction; schools; Piauí (19th century)