Similarities and differences between female convents and cloisters at the Portuguese America

Abstract

The feminine convents and cloisters that have existed at the Portuguese America must be considered as educational institutions, because those places have taught reading, writing, manual labour etc. In the survey of existing researches over the topic and documents of the Ultramarine Historic Archive it can be detected that it have existed a greater number of cloisters over the number of convents, once the first sums 23 and the later six institutions (being that three have been cloisters that have transformed into convents). I also intend to seek understanding of the conceptual definition of convent and gathering for the period studied. Beyond specifications, it is required to point the necessity to observe the similarities as well as differences between those institutions and assume that is fundamental to perceive a totality and work with a scales game to compare and comprehend the multiple intentions of the feminine search in those spaces. The convents have become reception zones for wealthy women with the purpose of the religious practice whereas the cloisters have provided the admission of women of diverse social groups and, as time has passed, increasingly linked to school educational practices.