The urbanization process in the city of Belém do Pará during the Belle Époque and its impacts

Abstract

This paper aims to understand the urbanization process in the city of Belém do Pará in a parallel with other parts of Brazil during the Belle Époque period, addressing the economic and social transformations resulting arising from the second half of the 19th century until the beginning of the following century. In order to achieve this goal, sources such as travelers’ reports, official reports of the State of Pará government, municipal albums, monography and specialized books on the subject and time were used. The Municipal Intendency Reports made it possible to read the discourse of civilization and progress propagated by Antônio Lemos, which supported the understanding of the modernization process that reached the city of Belém between the late 19th and early 20th centuries. For the development of this article, it was essential to consult several sources through bibliographic and documentary research. Thus, it was obtained more than one point of view on the subject, assessing the historical context in which these sources were produced. As a result, a process stemming from a global and capitalist economy was found, influencing not only local aesthetics but also the lives of citizens. It can be said that the supposed improvements in urban infrastructure, although affecting the entire population, did not happen equally to all.