THE 19TH CENTURY PHILIPPINES AS RIZAL’S CONTEXT
"Man is partly the product of his time. His life and his messages are
affected by his environment and the event that take place in the world he
lives in”.
19th century was the era of challenges and responses.
It is the period of major challenges that affect man and society.
Age of Enlightenment.
JOSE RIZAL
Full Name: José Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonzo Realonda
Born: June 19, 1861, in Calamba, Laguna, Philippines
Profession: Doctor, Writer, Poet, Nationalist
Famous Works: Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo
TRIVIA: Jose Rizal was also an accomplished sculptor and artist. One of his most
famous works is a little sculpture titled "The Triumph of Science over Death," which
depicts a woman carrying a torch and stomping on a skull, signifying the power of
education and knowledge against ignorance.
It was Jose Rizal who first used the word Filipino to refer to the inhabitants of
the country, whether they are of Spanish or Filipino blood.
Indios-native inhabitants
Filipinos-inhabitants with Spanish blood (peninsulares, insulares, mestizo)
He realized that the people residing in the Philippines should be called one
name Filipino.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Before the Spanish occupation our Forefathers have already been trading
with the Chinese, the Japanese, the inhabitants of Siam, the Indians,
Cambodians and with the natives of Borneo and Mollucas. When the
Spaniards arrived, the Spanish government carried on the existing trade
relationships with this countries for a period.
GALLEON TRADE (MANILA-ACAPULCO TRADE)
Connected the Philippines with Mexico for 250 years.
It was a government monopoly of two trading ships, one navigated from
Acapulco in Mexico to Manila for 120 days with some 500,000 pesos worth of
merchandise and the other sailed from Manila to Acapulco for 90 days with
some 250,000 pesos worth of goods.
Philippines sent mangoes, tamarinds, rice, carabao, Chinese tea lextiles,
tuba (coconut wine) to Mexico while guava, avocado, papaya, pineapple and
etc. was sent by Mexico to Philippines.
This economic transaction was ended on September 14, 1815 when Mexico
gained its independence from Spain and it was abolished because of the
efforts of Valentin Delos Santos our representative in Spanish Cortes (1810-
1813).
SUEZ CANAL
It was an artificial way that connect the Red Sea and Mediterranean Sea Egypt.
On November 17, 1869 afforded the Philippines and Spain a relatively effortless
maritime route for Spanish trading.
Started off as an agreement between Ferdinand de Lesseps, Cairo's former
French diplomat and the Ottoman governor of Egypt in 1854 for the former to
construct a 100-mile canal across the Isthmus of Suez.
The construction commenced in April 1859 with forced laborers digging by hand
with picks and shovels European workers though with dredgers and steam
shovels later arrived.
It decreased the travel time of Philippines to Spain from 3 months to 32-40 days.
Suez Canal was the first infrastructure that paved the way for the importation of
books, magazines and newspapers with liberal ideas from Europe and America.
This was instrumental to the political awakening of Rizal because he was able to
expand his perspective, therefore shaping his nationalist sensibilities.
Jose V. Basco who became the first Governer-General to the Philippines under
the Bourbon reign arrived in the country in 1778 when the Galleon Trade was a
failing venture.
The European industrialization and other countries in the West brought an
increased demand for raw materials which meant that the Philippines can take
advantage of its agricultural potential towards economic transformation.
Basco's economic program of developing and promoting agriculture in the
country in order to Transform the Philippines into a financially sufficient colony.
Economic History: Opening the Philippines to the World Commerce
1815-1830-the last Galleon arrived in (Manila to Acapulco)
1834- Manila officially opened to the world commerce.
The rise of Haciendas and the "cash-crop economy."
Expansion of export products in Europe to Suez Canal (1869)
The Philippines became a major exporter (sugar, tobacco, coffee and abaca) and
became well known in other parts of the world.
1834-1873-Different Ports were opened; Sual (Pangasinan), Iloilo, Zamboanga,
Cebu and Legazpi.
Effects to the Economy of the Philippines
1. Filipino's life prosper due to the vigorous economic activity in the colony.
2. Modern methods of agriculture were introduced.
3. The means of transportation and communication improve.
4. Emergence of the Middle-Class.
5. More Filipinos able to study in Europe;and
6. Acquired material, wealth and improved social life.
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT: BIRTH OF MIDDLE CLASS
Peninsular- pure blooded Spaniard born in Spain
Insular- pure blooded Spaniard born in the Philippines
Mestizo- Spanish mestizo- one parent is Spanish, the other is a native
Principalia- wealthy pure blooded professedly kabanatoan descendant
Indio- pure blooded native of the Philippines
Chino- non catholic pure-blooded Chinese
CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT
The Ilustrados, otherwise known as the "enlightened ones", were the educated
class in the Philippines society during the Spanish occupation
They were instrumental in paving the way for the creation of the Propaganda
Movement.
The rapid spread of higher education among middle and lower-middle class
Filipinos accelerated Filipino nationalism.