19th CENTURY PHILIPPINES

AS RIZAL’S CONTEXT

● Industrial Revolution
- The late 18th and 19th century is the beginning of industrial revolution. The
industrial revolution was the transition from creating goods by hand to using
machines.

● The 19th century was a period of challenges and responses

● It is an era of vast alterations that influence both humans as well as society

● Age of Enlightenment

● Philippines was been colonized for 333 years by Spaniards

● Galleon Trade
- Known as ‘Galleon De Acapulco’ refers to the Spanish trading ships
- This ship is used for importing and exporting products.
- From Acapulco which is in Mexico it travels along Pacific Ocean to reach the
Philippines.
- The distance between Manila to Acapulco is ranging about 14,318km which will
take a couple of months to get in there.

● Suez Canal
- The Suez Canal was opened in November 17 1869.
- The location of Suez Canal is in Egypt.
- This canal was made for trading ships in order to make the shipment easier and
faster.
- Because of opening of Suez Canal, it also opens a lot of possibility and changes
for our country.

● Abolition of Galleon Trade

- The Philippines was under by galleon trade before, so it means that the products
of the Philippines are only being exported or traded to Spain. But during 19 th
century the galleon trade was abolished, which lead to opening of the Philippines
to the world trade, so the market of the Philippines is become worldwide. The
lifestyles of Filipinos were improved even more especially for those farmers
because they were be able to develop their agricultural lands.

● Effects to the Economy of the Philippines

- Life prospers due to the vigorous economic activity in the colony
- Modern methods of agriculture were introduced
- Emergence of the Middle – Class
 - The means of transportation and communication improve
- More Filipinos able to study in Europe
- Acquired material wealth and improved social life

● Social Classes in the Philippines

- Peninsulares – They are Spaniards born in Spain, they held the most important
government jobs and also, they have the power and authority to rule over the
Filipinos.
- Insulares – They are Spaniards born in the Philippines, they were people of
Spanish descent who were born in the islands, as opposed to the peninsulares,
who were Spaniards born in Spain.
- Spanish mestizo - it’s a mixed of native Filipino and any foreign ancestry. Also,
the Spanish mestizo historically and currently exist as a smaller population.
- Principalia - was the ruling and usually educated upper class in the pueblos of
Spanish Philippines.
- Chinese mestizos - Chinese mestizo prominence between 1741 and 1898,
primarily as landholder and a middleman wholesaler of local produce and foreign
imports, although there were also mestizos in the professions.
- Chinese – They are people form China migrated in the Philippines, thousands of
Chinese immigrants arrived in the Spanish Philippines to profit from the galleon
trade, by which good passed between china and Mexico.
- Indio – They are Malayan inhabitant in the archipelago, the indios are the poor
people having pure blood Filipino ruled by the Spaniards.

● Social Conditions
- The Filipinos were subjected to feudalism and master-slavery relationships by
the Spaniards in the nineteenth century. Their social structure is divided into
three categories, Highest Class, Middle Class and Lowest Class.

● Carlos María de la Torre y Navacerrada

- Carlos María de la Torre y Navacerrada (1809–1879) was a Spanish soldier and
politician. He served as Governor-General of the Philippines from 1869 to 1871,
and is considered one of the most beloved Spanish Governors-General assigned
to the Philippines.