How did the lack of a printing press affect intellectual life in colonial Chile?

In colonial Chile, the absence of a printing press until shortly before the nation achieved independence in 1818 was a significant factor in the slow development of intellectual life. This technological limitation, combined with a general scarcity of contact with the outside world, reinforced the colony's insularity.12

During this period, education was almost entirely controlled by the Roman Catholic Church, which used its monopoly to reinforce existing class structures. While the establishment of the Royal and Pontifical University of San Felipe in 1758 provided a venue for higher learning, the overall intellectual environment remained constrained by the lack of local publishing capabilities and the colony's relative isolation within the Spanish Empire.12