Vozes femininas no Brasil Império: o exercício peticionário na Assembleia Legislativa (1823-1837)

Abstract

This dissertation analyzes the use of the petition mechanism by women in the early years of operation of the General Legislative Assembly in Brazil, and how these demands were dealt with by the institutions. The chronological scope begins in 1823, with the opening of the Constituent Assembly, in the context of the drafting of the Constitution of the Empire, which defined the settlement of the Chamber and Senate, opened in Rio de Janeiro in 1826, as well as the right of all citizens to petition for these spaces; until the year 1837, a period that marks the last year of the third legislature, and is configured in reformulations in imperial politics. Based on the theoretical-methodological considerations of Women's History, the aim was to highlight the participation of women in these spaces, from which they had traditionally been excluded. To achieve this, the petition was used because it was understood that this instrument, an ancient practice of communicating with the authorities that acquired other meanings in the 19th century, was used as a spokesperson for individuals, especially those considered to be excluded from the full exercise of citizenship, among them, women. Therefore, it was also aimto survey these women and their demands, seeking to observe the debates in the legislature about this petitionary action. In order to achieve the research objectives, the main source of analysis was the Annals of the House and Senate, official printed documents produced between the 19th and 20th centuries, all available in online bibliographic collections. Through this documentation, it was possible to understand that the petitioning exercise to the legislative power followed the traditional parameters of this practice, but mobilized new discussions and lawmaking in the legislature about the granting of pensions, especially for widows and orphans, the main applicants for this type of benefit.