THE WORLD

AT RIZAL’S
TIMES
 19 February 1861 – Czar Alexander II of
Russia issued a proclamation
emancipating 22,500,000 serfs to
appease the rising discontentment of
Russian masses.
 American Civil war began over the issue
of negro slavery. Started on 12 April
1861, which compelled Pres. Abraham
Lincoln to issue his famous
Emancipation Proclamation on
September 22, 1862 freeing the negro
slaves.
 1 June 1861,Benito Juarez, a full blooded
Zapotec Indian was elected President of
Mexico, after his one year in office
Emperor Napoleon III of French Empire
invaded and occupied Mexico. Archduke
Maximilian of Austria was installed as
emperor of Mexico on June 12, 1864.
 June 19, 1867 during Rizal’s 6th birthday,
Emperor Maximilian was executed.
 Two european countries succeeded in unifying
their own countries. The Italians under Count
Cavour and of Gribaldi together with his Red
Shirts army drove out the Austrian and French
Armies from Italy and proclaimed the Kingdom
of Italy with Victor Emmanuel as their king.
 January 18, 1871, the Prussian led by Otto Von
Bismarck, the iron chancellor defeated France
in the Franco- Prussian war and established
the German Empire. In the same year, the
french empire collapsed and proclaimed the
third republic with Adolph Thiers as the first
president.
Victor Emmanuel II (Vittorio Emanuele Maria Alberto
Eugenio Ferdinando Tommaso; 14 March 1820 – 9
January 1878) was King of Sardinia from 1849 until
17 March 1861, when he assumed the title King of
Italy to become the first king of a united Italy since
the 6th century, a title he held until his death in
1878. 
Giuseppe Garibaldi - personally commanded and
fought in many military campaigns that led
eventually to the formation of a unified Italy together
with his red shirt army.
Camillo Paolo Filippo Giulio Benso, Count of Cavour –
first prime minister of united Italy.
 The rise of imperialism. England
emerged as the worlds leading
imperialist power. On account of her
invincible navy and magnificent army.
Conquer many countries throughout
the world and established global
colonial empire.
 During the reign of Queen Victoria

(1837-1901) British people proudly

asserted “Brittania rules the waves”
 British empire war success in China

 1st opium war (1840-1842) against

toterring chinese empire under the
Manchu Dynasty, acquiring the
island of HongKong (fragrant
harbor)
 2nd opium war (1856-1860) forcing

the helpless Manchu dynasty to

cede the Kowloon Peninsula
opposite hongkong.
 BRITISH RULE IN INDIA
 Indian rebellion were suppressed and

dismantled the mogul empire,

imposing raj (rule) over the
subcontinent.
 After winning the Three Anglo-
Burmese wars (1824-26, 1852, 1885)
they conquered Burma.
 Ceylon, Maldives, Aden, Malaya,
Singapore, Egypt, Australia and New
Zealand became british colony.
 1856- 1863, France conquered Viet Nam;
annexed Cambodia (1863) and Laos (1893).
These countries were merged and formed
the French Indochina.
 The Dutch colonized Netherland East Indies

(Indonesia)
 Alaska was sold by Czarist Russia in 1867

to US for 7,2000,000 dollars. From 1865 –

1884 invaded Khanates f Bokhara, Khiva,
and Kokand in Central Asia. Russia joined
Britain, France and Germany in despoliation
of crumbling Chinese empire.
 Russia built the 5,800 mile trans- siberian
railway, the world’s longest railroad
connecting Vladivostok and Moscow.
 July 8, 1853, Japan was re-opened to the

world lead by Commodore Matthew C.

Perry, ending the 214 years of isolation.
Emperor Meiji modernized the country by
freely accepting western influences
including imperialism.
 Japan strengthened its navy and army and

began its imperialist career by fighting weak

China in the Sino- Japanese war (1894-
1895).
 Japan invaded Formosa and Pescadores and later in
1910 annexed Korea.
 August 25, 1885 a german ship, the Ilties entered
the Yap island and proclaimed the Spanish Carolines
and Palaus archipelagoes as colony of Germany.
 Pope Leo XIII mediated the two countries, wherein
he recognized the sovereignty of Spain over the
islands but grant two concessions to Germany. (1)
the right to trade (2) right to establish a coaling
station in Yap for the German navy.
 During those critical days, Rizal was in Barcelona
visiting his friend Maximo Viola, at the same time he
wrote an article on the Carolina Question which was
published in La Publicidad, a newspaper owned by
Don Miguel de Morayta.
 While the imperialist powers enjoys the
fruits of their colonial ventures and
achieving global prestige, Spain, once upon
a time the “mistress of the world” was
stagnating as a world power.
 Spain lost its colonies in Latin America –

Paraguay (1811), Argentina, (1816), Chile

(1817), Colombia and Ecuador (1819), Costa
Rica, Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador and
Nicaragua (1821), Venezuela (1922), Peru
(1824), and Bolivia and Uruguay (1825)
THESE FORMER SPANISH COLONIES
HAD RISEN IN ARMS AGAINST
SPANISH TYRANNY AND ACHIEVE
THEIR INDEPENDENCE. HOWEVER,
SPAIN NEVER LEARNED A LESSON
FROM THE LOSS OF THESE
COLONIES, FOR IT CONTINUED A
DESPOTIC RULE IN CUBA, PUERTO
RICO, AND PHILIPPINES, HER
REMAINING OVERSEAS COLONY.
 THE
PHILIPPINES
AT RIZAL’S
TIMES
ELEVEN EVILS OF
SPANISH MISRULE
 Instability of Colonial
Administration
 The turbulent reign of King Ferdinand VII (1808-
1833) marked the beginning of political chaos in
Spain.
 The Spanish government underwent frequent
changes owing to bitter struggles between the
forces of despotism and liberalism and the
explosion of the Carlists Wars.
 From 1834- 1862 Spain had adopted four
constitutions, elected 28 parliaments and installed
529 ministers followed in subsequent years of party
strifes, revolutions and other political upheavals.
 From 1835 – 1897 the Philippines was ruled
by 50 governors general, at one point from
December 1853- November 1854, there
were four governors general.
 The frequent change of colonial officials

hampered the political and economic

development of the Philippines. Hardly, had
one governor general begun his
administration when he was soon replaced
by his successor. Naturally, no chief
executive, no matter how able and energetic
he was, could accomplish much for the
colony.
Corrupt Colonial Officials
 The colonial officials of 19th century
were far cry from their able and
dedicated predecessors of the 16th,
17th, and 18th century. These officials
symbolized decadent spain not Spain
of Siglo de Oro which produced Miguel
Cervantes, Lope de Vega, Calderon
dela Barca, El Greco, Velasquez, St.
Theresa de Avila, and other glories of
Hispanic nation.
The People behind the fall of Spain in
the Philippines
 Gen. Rafael de Izquierdo (1871-1873) – a
boastful and ruthless Governor general, the
man behind the execution of GOMBURZA.
 Adm. Jose Malcampo (1874-1877) – good

moro fighter, but was inept and weak

administrator.
 General Fernando Primo de Rivera (1880- 83/

1897-98) enriched himself by accepting

bribes from gambling casinos in Manila which
he scandalously permitted to operate.
 General Valeriano Weyler (1888-91) a cruel,
and corrupt governor general, arrived in
Manila as poor man and returned to Spain as
a millionaire. He received huge gifts of
diamonds for his wife from wealthy Chinese
who evaded anti- Chinese law. He initiated
the brutal persecution of the Calamba
tenants, particularly the family of Dr. Rizal.
 General Camilo de Polavieja (1896-97) an

able militarist but heartless governor general,

he was widely detested by the Filipino people
for executing Dr. Jose Rizal.
Philippine Representation in Spanish
Cortes.
 Philippine experienced its first period of
representation in Spanish Cortes from 1810-13.
 Ventura delos Reyes, first Philippine delegate in the
Spanish Cortes. He is a member of committee that
draft the Spain Constitution in 1812 and one of its
184 signers.
 Representation to Cortes from overseas colonies was
abolished in 1837.
 Graciano Lopez Jaena pleaded to restored the
representation in the cortes during the 391st
anniversary of the discovery of America by
Columbus, but failed.
Cuba and Puerto Rico
were granted
representation in the
Cortes by the
Constitution of 1876
which embittered the
Philippine patriots.
 Denial of Human Rights
 Since the adoption of Spanish
Constitution in 1812 and other
constitutions in succeeding years, the
people of Spain enjoyed freedom of
Speech, freedom of the press,
association and other human rights.
 Strangely enough the Spanish authorities

who cherished these human rights or

constitutional liberties denied them to
the Filipino people in Asia.
No Equality Before the Law
 Leyes de Indias (laws of the Indies)
were promulgated by Christian
monarch of Spain to protect the rights
of the natives in Spain overseas
colonies and to promote their welfare.
 Spanish Penal Code – imposed heavier

penalties on native Filipinos and

lighter penalties on white
complexioned Spaniards.
 Maladministration of Justice
 The court of justice in the Philippines during
Rizal’s time were notoriously corrupt.
 Justice was costly, partial, and slow. Poor Filipino
have no access to the courts.
 Wealth, social prestige, and color of skin were
preponderant factors in winning a case in court.
 Dr. Rizal and his family were victim of injustice
twice, first in 1871 and 1891. Her mother was
unjustly arrested and jailed on flimsy grounds.
Rizal himself was deported in July 1892 to
Dapitan. His brother Paciano and several brothers-
in-laws were exiled in various parts of the
archipelago.
 Racial Discrimination
 Many spaniards derisively called the brown-
skinned and flat nose (pango) Filipinoa
“Indios”. In retaliation, jealously dubbed their
pale complexioned detractors with the
disparaging term “bangus”
 Racial prejudice was prevalent everywhere – in

government offices, in the courts of justice, in

the arm forces, in the social circles and even
in the educational institutions and in the
ecclesiastical hierarchy.
 FRAILOCRACY
 For more than three centuries of Spanish rule, the
missionaries or the friars as they were known at that
time played a major role not only in propagating the
Christian faith but also in the political, social, economic
and cultural aspects of the Filipinos. They are actually
the ‘real conquistadors’ during the Spanish times.
 When the Legazpi expedition reached the Philippines in
1565, the Augustinian missionaries also began to make
its presence. Other religious orders followed such as the
Franciscans (1577), Jesuits (1581), Dominicans (1587),
Recollects (1606) and the Benedictines (1895). The
primary role of these missionaries is to propagate
Christianity among the natives of these new conquered
islands.
 Aside from spreading the word of God, the
missionaries help in pacifying the country. They created
more than 300 towns; built churches, roads and
bridges, and other infrastructures. Many friars
contributed much in the development of the printing
press, medicine, science, architecture, music, grammar,
dictionaries, literature and the arts which eventually
become part of the Filipino culture. They also
introduced new crops, plants and animals from Europe
and Mexico. They also taught the natives new
industries such as dye-making, bricks and tile-making.
 The parish priest is the most powerful figure in a town
or pueblo. Even if he is the only Spaniard in town, he
was feared and obeyed by the people, and was often
kissed on the hands as a sign of respect and of his
great influence.
 Bad friars who were recreant to
their sublime calling and to the
finest traditions of Iberian
pundonor were Fray Miguel Lucio
Bustamante, Fray Jose Rodriguez,
Fray Antonio Piernavieja were
portrayed by Rizal as Padre
Damaso, Padre Silvi and Fray
Botod by Jaena.
 Force Labor
 Known as Polo, a compulsory labor imposed by
the Spanish colonial authorities on adult Filipino
males in the construction of churches, schools,
hospitals, building and repair of roads and
bridges; ships and other public works.
 Male Filipinos aged 16 to 60 were obliged to
render forced labor for 40 days a year. The law
repealed promulgated on 3 February 1885
increasing the age from 16 to 18 and reduce the
days from 40 to 15. Same royal decree includes
native Spanish but this never implemented.
 The Filipino hated the force labor
because 1) it never recruited white
Spanish residents, 2) two pesetas
(50 centavos) were not received
by Filipino, 3) It caused
inconvenienced and disturb in
their works in farms and shop and
also they were compelled to work
in construction projects far from
their homes and towns.
Hacienda Owned by the Friars
 The Augustinians, Dominicans, Jesuits and other
religious orders were all holders, administrators and
owners of vast tracts of land in different parts of the
country during the Spanish colonial period.
 Some of these lands were given to them by the Spanish
government and landed Catholics, others they bought
and some were taken and possessed by them in very
questionable ways, i.e. land grabbing by the friars.
They owned estates comprising thousands of hectares.
Most of these lands were agricultural and tilled by
native Filipinos who themselves did not owned lands.
Some of these religious orders were practically
landlords during the Spanish colonial period
 As early as 1768 Governor Anda, realizing the
danger of the friar-owned haciendas to
Filipino- Spanish relations, strongly
recommended to the Madrid government the
sale of friar estates. Unfortunately, his wise
recommendation was ignored.
 Rizal, whose family and relatives were tenants

of the Dominican Estate of Calamba, tried to

initiate agrarian reforms in 1887, but in vain.
His advocacy of agrarian reforms ignited the
wrath of the dominican friars, who retaliated
by raising the rentals of the lands leased by
his family and other Calamba tenant.
 Guardia Civil
 The last hated symbol of Spanish tyranny was the
guardia civil (Constabulary) which was created by
Royal Decree on 12 February, 1852 as amended
by the royal decree of March 24, 1888 for the
purpose of maintaining internal peace and order.
 While its true thath the guardia civil had rendered
a meritorious services in suppressing the bandits
in the provinces, they later infamous for their
rampant abuses, such as maltreating innocent
people, looting their animals and raping helpless
women.
 Advent of A National Hero
Dr. Jose Rizal is a unique example of many-splendored
genius who became the greatest hero of a nation.
Endowed by God with versatile gifts, he truly ranked
with world’s geniuses. He was a physician (ophthalmic
surgeon), poet, dramatist, essayist, novelist, historian,
architect, painter, sculptor, educator, linguist, musician,
naturalist, ethnologist, surveyor, engineer, farmer
businessman, economist, geographer, cartographer,
bibliophile, philologist, grammarian, folklorist,
philosopher, translator, inventor, magician, humorist,
satirist, polemicist sportsman, traveler, and prophet.
Above and beyond all these, he was a hero and political
martyr who consecrated his life for the redemption of
his oppressed people. No wonder, he is now acclaimed
as the national hero of the Philippines.
 June 19, 1861 - Dr. Jose Rizal was born on
the moonlit night of Wednesday in the
lakeshore town of Calamba, Laguna.-His
mother almost died during the delivery
because of his big head.
 June 22, 1861 - He was baptized in the

Catholic Church of his town, aged three years

old.
 Father Rufino Collantes - who was a
Batangueno, a parish priest who baptized Dr.
Jose Rizal.
 Father Pedro Casanas - close friend of

Rizal family, the godfather of Rizal

 “Jose”- was derived from the name Saint

Joseph.
 Lieutenant-General Jose Lemery

The governor general of the Philippines at

the time Rizal was born, former senator of
Spain (member of the upper chamber of the
Spanish Cortes).
His achievements as governor general were:
(1) Fostering the cultivation of cotton in the
provinces(2) Establishing the politico-military
governments in the Visayas and Mindanao.
 Francisco Mercado Rizal
(1818-1898)

-the hero’s father, was born in Biñan, Laguna on

May 11, 1818. He studied Latin and Philosophy at
the College of San Jose in Manila.-In
early manhood, following his parent’s death, he
moved to Calamba and became a tenant- farmer of
the Dominican-owned hacienda.
-He was a hardy and independent minded man,
whotalked less and works more and was strong in
body and valiant in spirit.-He died in Manila on
January 5, 1898 at the age of 80. Rizal
affectionately called him “a model of fathers”.
 Doña Teodora Alonso Realonda
(1826-1911)
-the hero’s mother, was born in Manila
on November 8, 1826 and was
educated at the College of Santa
Rosa .-She was a remarkable woman,
possessing refined culture, literary
talent, business ability and the fortitude
of Spartan women.-She died in Manila
on august 16, 1911, at the age of 85.
 THE RIZAL CHILDREN
 Eleven children –two boys and nine girls.

 (1) Saturnina - (1850-1913) - oldest of the Rizal

children, nickname Neneng, she married Manuel
T. Hidalgo of Tanawan, Batangas.

 (2)Paciano (1851-1930)  –older brother and

confidant of Jose Rizal. After his young brother’s
execution he joined the Philippine Revolution
and became a combat general; after the
Revolution he retired to his farm in Los Baños,
where he lived as a gentleman farmer and died
on April 13, 1390, an old bachelor aged 79. He
had two children _a boy and a girl.
 (3)Narcisa (1852-1939) -her pet name was Sisa
and she married Antonio Lopez (nephew
ofFather Leoncio Lopez), a school teacher of
Morong.
 (4)Olimpia (1855-1887) –Ypia was her pet
name; she married Silvestre Ubaldo, a
telegraphoperator from Manila.
 (5)Lucia (1857-1919) – she married Mariano
Herbosa of Calamba, who was a nephew of
FatherCasanas, Herbosa died of cholera in 1889
and was denied Christian burial because he was
abrother-in-law of Dr. Jose Rizal.
 (6) Maria (1859-1945) –Biang was her
nickname; she married Daniel Faustino Cruz of
Biñan,Laguna.
 (7) Jose (1861-1896) – the greatest Filipino

hero and peerless genius; his nickname was

Pepe;during his he exile in Dapitan he lived
with Josephine Bracken, Irish girl from Hong
Kong; he had a son by her, but this baby- boy
died a few hours after birth; Rizal named him
“Francisco” after his father and buried him in
Dapitan.
 (8)Concepcion (1862-1865 – her pet name

was Concha; she died of sickness at the age

of 3; her death was Rizal’s first sorrow in life.
 (9) Josefa (1865-1945) –her pet name was
Panggoy; she died an old maid at the age of
80.

 (10)Trinidad (1868-1951) –Trining was her

pet name; she died also an old maid in 1951
aged 83.

 (11)Soledad (1870-1929) youngest of the

Rizal children; her pet name was Choleng;
shemarried Pantaleon Quintero of Calamba.
 RIZALS’S ANCESTRY
 Domingo Lameo  –Rizal’s great great grandfather on his
father side-A Chinese immigrant from the Fukien City of
Changchow who arrived in Manila about 1690. He became
a Christian, married a well-to-do Chinese Christian girl of
Manila named Ines de la Rosa. Assumed the surname
Mercado in 1731.
 Mercado –means “market” in English
 June 28, 1848 –Francisco Mercado and Teodora Alonso
Realonda were married, after which the settle down
in Calamba.
 Eugenio Ursua - great- great grandfather on mother’s
side (a Japanese ancestry), who married a Filipina named
Benigna.
 Francisco, son of Domingo and Ines married a Chinese
Filipino mestiza Cirila Bernacha, and was elected
gobernadorcillo of the town. One of his son Juan (Rizal
grandfather) married Cirila Alejandro also a chinese-
filipino. Like his father became gobernadorcillo of
Binan.

 Francisco, the youngest son of Capitan Juan and

Capitana Cirila is the father of Jose.

 The surname Rizal  –the real surname of the Rizal

family was Mercado, which was adopted in1731 by
Domingo Lameo, who was a full blooded chemist.
Rizal’s family required a second surname-Rizal- which
was given by spanish alcalde mayor of Laguna.
 Middle class Family - The Rizal family belonged
to the principalia a town aristocracy in Spanish
Philippines. It was one of the distinguished
families in Calamba.

 Tio Jose Alberto - who had studies for eleven

years in a British school in inspired him to
develop his artistic ability
 Tio manuel - a husky and athletic man,

encouraged him to develop his frail body by

means of physical exercise.
 Tio Gregorio  –a book lover, intensified his

voracious reading of good book.