This research deals with the friendly and philanthropic societies in Brazil through the research over the statutes and foundation acts of some associations created in Rio de Janeiro between the years of 1860 and 1889. Through the analysis of these sources we intend to understand how societies organized themselves; how their built a selfperception and how were their relationships with the Imperial State. Also, it intends to understand the main motives responsible to influence people into philanthropic behaviors; to perceive shared values, rituals and beliefs; and last but not least, to specify the impact of the associative process over the construction of a civic culture in Brazil.
associativism; philantropic behaviors; civic culture.