CLAVIJERO’S CONTRIBUTION TO THE FORMATION OF THE CREOLES’ PATRIOTISM OF NEW SPAIN

In this article we describe the major aspects of Creole patriotism in New Spain in the works of Mexican thinker Francisco Javier Clavijero. Among these aspects are national symbols, interest in region’s nature and geography, as well as the pre-Columbian past studies. For understanding the ideas of Clavijero the author requested the historical context. In this article were analyzed some factors affecting the process of formation of a nation identity in Mexican society. Among them the author highlighted rising of the Mexican science in the second half of XVIII century, creoles position in colonial hierarchy and European’s attitude towards the New World and its inhabitants. The information collected has enabled the author to pinpoint fi eld in which patriotic views of the Mexican thinker were formed. In this, article also showed aspects about Clavijero’s own national identity, about his perception of New Spain like homeland and his connections with Mexican society. The author noted that Clavijero’s major contribution was countering myths about the New World, in particularly about Mexico and also he could put old Amerindian cultures in one range with ancient European cultures.