The Public Ceremonies of the Botany Chair of Mexico City: Speeches and Awards, 1843-1859

Abstract

The development of scientific activity in Mexico between 1821 and the Porfiriato (1877-1911) had very little support.  In particular, in this research we analyze the Botanical Chair after 1821, especially from 1843 to 1859, period in which it was linked with the Mining College. in order to understand its evolution through the public acts of the College reflected in press and brochures.  The methodology resumes the social studies of science that relate the history of education with nineteenth-century science.  The results indicate that the Chair functioned in spite of the socio-political crisis of the country, and they qualify the vision of the traditional historiography that supposes a null development of the scientific activity in that historical period.