The Palaeolithic and human evolution in secondary education textbooks during the late Franco period (1967-1976): the making of a legitimated discourse

Abstract

A sample of History and Natural History secondary education textbooks published during the late Franco period is analysed in this paper. From a scientific point of view, Natural History textbooks contain more palaeoanthropological information while History textbooks contain more about the technological and cultural aspects of the Palaeolithic.From an ideological point of view, the lexicon and the incorporation of scientific data both into texts and paratextual resources indicate a will of dis-ideologization in the contents.Nevertheless, two discourses coexist during the early 70’s: one entrenched in the preceding decades that did not annoy the political, religious and social members of the regime; and another that introduces discordant elements, such as evolutionism.The second one only becomes predominant in textbooks published after 1975, coinciding with the economic and social changes that started in the 60’s in Spain and with the prospect of new freedom after the death of the dictator.