a revolutionary hero from the Philippines who established the Katipunan, a covert organization that led

the revolt against Spain and established the first Philippine Republic.

The first nationalist revolt in Asia, the Filipino revolt of 1896, was the brainchild of and named after
Andres Bonifacio. He was the chief architect of the revolt against Spain, which sparked the liberation of a
people that had been oppressed and subjugated for more than 300 years.

On November 30, 1863, Andres Bonifacio was born into a working-class household to his hardworking
parents, tailor Santiago Bonifacio and cigarette factory worker Catalina de Castro.

He had a preexisting connection to the misery of the people from infancy. He developed

He had a preexisting connection to the misery of the people from infancy. He was raised in the slums of
Tondo, an area of Manila that is not part of Intramuros, the walled city that is home to the powerful,
including the friars and senior government officials. Tondo was a vibrant neighborhood with many
laborers, stevedores, independent business owners, and merchants. This nation of the underdogs, the
persecuted, and the poor served as a gathering place for everyone looking to start over. He was aware of
the true dynamics of the class struggle in his society due to his personal experience. When he was 14
years old, his parents passed away, forcing him to drop out of school and take on the responsibility of
supporting his 3 brothers and 2 sisters.

This prevented him from losing sight of the larger problems and worries affecting the entire nation. He
originally made a living by creating bamboo canes and paper fans, which he then sold. However, his
family's low means of subsistence were rarely covered by the little revenue from handicrafts. He found
work as a messenger at a British company called Fleming and Company and later as a warehouse keeper
at a foreign trading company called Fressel & Company despite having little experience and no formal
education. Being naturally independent and eager to learn and absorb new things, this new environment
gave him the chance to learn Spanish by listening to conversations in the language to increase his
vocabulary and improve his proficiency in the medium.