UNIT II.

THE PHILIPPINES IN THE 19TH CENTURY AS RIZAL’S

CONTEXT
Overview
This unit will discuss the importance of acknowledging the influence of the Philippines'
political, economic, and social context in the 19th century to understand Rizal's life and works.

Learning Objectives

At the end of the unit, I am able to:

1. evaluate the link between Rizal and society;
2. analyze the different social, political, financial, and social changes that happened
within the nineteenth century; and
3. understand Jose Rizal in the framework of his times.

Lesson Proper

THE PHILIPPINES IN THE 19TH CENTURY AS RIZAL’S CONTEXT

(Image credits to Frontlearners)

• Contextualization helps to understand.

• Generally, to contextualize something is to put it inside its appropriate and more prominent
setting in which it presents its actual and complete significance.
• As Jose Rizal was conceived and experienced childhood in the nineteenth century, to
contextualize him – to comprehend his life, contemplations, and works appropriately
– is to comprehend the social and political setting of that century.
• The 19th century was a time of enormous changes in Europe, Spain, and thus in the
Philippines.
• It was during this period that the force and magnificence of Spain, the Philippines'
colonizer, had wound down both in its states and on the planet.
• 19th century Philippines as Rizal's setting is therefore partitioned into three perspectives:
economic, social, and political. Under these are major chronicled occasions or issues,
which described the nation during that time.

ECONOMIC CONTEXT

a) End of Galleon Trade

b) Opening of the Suez Canal
c) Rise of the export of the crop economy
d) Established Monopolies in the Philippines
 A. End of Galleon Trade
• In 1565, the Spanish government shut the ports of Manila to all nations (China, Japan,
Siam [now Thailand], India, Cambodia, Borneo, and the Moluccas or Spice Islands) aside
from Mexico, in this manner bringing forth Manila- Acapulco Trade famously known as
the "Ship Trade. "

(Art Depicting Trade credits to bing.com)

• The following are among the stocks sent to Mexico from the Philippines through this
trans-Pacific exchange: Mango de Manila, Tamarind, Rice, Carabao, Chinese tea and
materials, Cockfighting, Fireworks show and Tuba (coconut wine)
• On the other hand, coming up next are among the various and significant vegetation
welcomed in the Philippines on the arrival of the said journey: Guava, Avocado,
Papaya, Pineapple, Horses, Cattle.
• Galleon Trade (1565-1815) – was a boat ("galleon") 250-year exchange going to and
from between Manila (which landed first in Cebu) and Acapulco, Mexico.
• Andres de Urdaneta, in escort under Miguel Lopez de Legaspi – began the exchange
when they found an arrival course from Cebu to Mexico in 1565.
• The exchange filled in as the focal salary creating business for Spanish pioneers in the
Philippines.
• The Manila Galleon Trade permitted present-day liberal plans to enter the Philippines,
in the end, and steadily moving the development for autonomy from Spain.
• September 14, 1815 - the Galleon Trade finished with Mexico's war of autonomy.

B. Opening of the Suez Canal

• Suez Canal – an artificial sea-level waterway
in Egypt connects the Mediterranean Sea to
the Red Sea through the Isthmus of Suez.
• November 17, 1869 – it was formally opened
following a 10-year of development (1858-
1869) under the authority of French
representative Ferdinand de Lesseps.
• With the opening of the Suez Canal, the separation of movement among Europe and
the Philippines was impressively condensed and, in this way for all intents and
purposes, carried the nation closer to Spain because the journey was diminished to just
32-40 days.
• The opening of the Suez Canal turned into a tremendous preferred position in business
endeavors, particularly among Europe and East Asia.
• More critically, it filled in as a noteworthy factor that empowered the development of
nationalistic wants of Jose Rizal and other Filipino illustrados.
• The diminished course assisted the importation of business items as well as of books,
magazines, and papers with liberal thoughts from America and Europe, which at last
influenced the psyches of Rizal and other Filipino reformists.
• The accessibility of the Suez Canal has likewise supported the illustrados, particularly
Jose Rizal, to seek after instruction abroad and learn logical and liberal thoughts in
European scholarly establishments.

C. Rise of the Export of Crop Economy

• During the Galleon Trade - the vast majority of the Spaniards in the Philippines were
charmed in sea exchanging endeavors among Manila and Mexico.
• The exploitation of the Philippines' natural assets and progress of a fare crop economy
- were marvels of the nineteenth century.
• Between 1820 and 1870 - the Philippines was well on its method of building up a fare
crop economy.
• The different financial exercises in the new fare crop economy in the nation gave
numerous chances to the extending Chinese populace.
• The advancement of the fare crop industry in the Philippines was propelled by the
 business endeavors of North European and North American vendors, who gave capital,
association, and access to outside business sectors and wellspring of imports.

D. Monopolies
• After 1850 –government monopoly contracts for the collection of different revenues
were opened to foreigners for the 1st time.
• For the rest of the 19th century –the Chinese instantly took advantage of this
commercial opportunity, enjoyed a pre-eminent position in monopoly contracting in
the Philippines.
• During the 1840's – the Spanish government had legalized the use of opium (provided
it was limited to Chinese), and a government monopoly of opium importation and sales
was created.
• Even before 1850 –monopolies on some products had been established, which were
controlled by the colonial government.
o 1712-1864 - spirituous liquors monopoly
o 1764 - betel nut monopoly
o 1782-1882 - tobacco monopoly
o 1805-1864 - explosive monopoly
• Among these monopoly systems, the most controversial and oppressive to locals was
perhaps the tobacco monopoly.
• March 1, 1782 –Governor-General Jose Basco placed the tobacco industry under
government control, thereby establishing the tobacco monopoly.
• 1882 –the tobacco monopoly was finally abolished. It lasted for exactly 100 years.
• A century of hardship and social betrayal caused by the tobacco restraining
infrastructure provoked Filipinos in common and Novo Ecijanos, in specific, to look
for flexibility from colonial subjugation.

SOCIAL CONTEXT
a) Education in the 19th century
b) Rise of the Chines Mestizo
c) Rise of the Inquilinos

A. Education in the 19th century

• European arrangement of Education – the framework Spanish colonizers acquainted
with the archipelago, the schools were set up and run by Catholic ministers.
• Religion – was made as a compulsory subject at all levels to change over the locals
to the Catholic confidence and make them dutiful.
• King Philip II's Leyes de Indias (Laws of Indies) – ordered Spanish specialists to
instruct local people, to show them how to peruse and compose and to learn Spanish.
• First formal schools were the parochial schools opened in their areas by the teachers,
for example, the Augustinians, Franciscans, Jesuits, and Dominicans.
• Colleges (likeness secondary school today) were built up for young men and young
ladies. History, Latin, Geography Mathematics, and Philosophy were among the
subjects educated to undergrads.
• University training was opened during the early piece of the seventeenth century. At
that point, colleges were just open for Spaniards and those with Spanish blood
(mestizo).
• 19th century – colleges began to acknowledge native Filipinos.
• 1863 – a regal pronouncement set up a state-funded educational system in the
Philippines. Earlier run by strict specialists, at this time, the colleges were at long last
directed by the legislature during the last 50% of the century; however, and still, at the
end of the day, the congregation controlled its educational program.
• Illustrados – another social class rose in the nation because of the developing number
of instructed locals. Their point was to be at a similar level with the pleased
Spaniards.
• With the opening of the Suez Canal, which made a move to Europe quicker, simpler,
and progressively moderate, numerous local people exploited the opportunity to seek
after better training in Spain, ordinarily in Madrid and Barcelona.
 • Illustrados – as a recently edified class of in the Philippine society, would later lead
the Philippine freedom development, utilizing the Spanish language as their key
methods for correspondence.

B. The Rise of Chinese Mestizo

• Elimination of the ship exchange – Manila got open to remote vendors nearly without
limitation by the mid-1830s.
• Development of business agribusiness – brought about the nearness of the new social
class.
• Haciendas of sugar, espresso, and hemp – had developed close by the landholding of
the congregation and the rice bequests of the pre-Spanish honorability, which were
normally possessed by Chines-Filipino mestizos.

C. The Rise of the Inquilinos

• Inquilino - means "tenant."
• The 19th Century Inquilino or tenant system in the Philippines is far better
understood as a qualified system of tenancy, or the right to use land in exchange for
rent.
• Many estates turned progressively to the inquilino system of land tenure, but since
the friars and secular Spanish were normally absentee landlords, estate management
was granted to an administrator who was typically a lay Spanish mestizo Filipino lay
brother.
• During harvest time, the administrator would collect the rent of the inquilinos,
organize the delivery of the harvests to the local market or Manila, and remit the
income from sales and rents to the estate owners. In some states, though. These farm
duties were consigned to trusted inquilinos. Some inquilinos would make many and
irrational demands from farmworkers.
• Inquilinos paid a fixed rent in which the amount was determined by the size and
quality of the land being cultivated. But due to the expansion of land owned by friar
states, the proportions of farmlands leased to inquilinos also increased, allowing
many of them to sub-lease parcels of their land to sharecroppers or kasamas.
• This system eventually became very profitable that some inquilinos acquired lands
of their own and entered in other gainful commercial ventures.
• There were also conflicts between estate owners and workers. These stemmed from
the collection of excessive taxes and land rent, the decline of sharing agreements—
extreme demands for labor services, and capricious fixing of crop prices.
• There were instances of peasants taking arms to protest the alleged abuses and
usurpation of their lands by the Jesuits, Dominicans, Augustinians, and the
Recollects. The relative freedom, which the inquilinos acquired by sub-leasing their
farms, provided them a tactical advantage for arranging and leading these peasant
protest movements.

THE POLITICAL LANDSCAPE

a) Liberalism
b) Impact of the Bourbon reforms
c) Cadiz constitution

A. Liberalism
• They are founded on ideals of freedom and equality that includes a wide range of political
philosophies that consider individual liberty to be the most significant political goal and
underscore individual rights and equality of opportunity.
• Liberals believe that government is necessary to protect individuals from being abused
by others though they are also aware that the government itself can pose a threat to liberty.
• French Revolution (1789 – 1799) –started a political revolution in Europe and some other
parts of the globe.
• “Having Liberty, Equality and Fraternity” – as its battle cry, this revolution became a
period of fundamental change in the political history of France as the French
governmental structure was changed from an absolute monarchy into a more liberal
government system founded on the principles of citizenship and inalienable rights.
• Spain later experienced a stormy century of
political disturbances.
• The liberals in Spain considered the Catholic
Church as an enemy of reforms.
• When the Philippines was opened to the world
trade in the 19th century, liberal ideas from
America carried by ships and people from foreign
ports started to penetrate the country and sway the
ilustrados.
• Opening of the Suez Canal eased the importation
of books, magazines, and newspapers with liberal
ideas from the West,
which eventually impacted the thoughts of local
Governor-General Carlos Maria De la Torre,
reformists, such as Jose Rizal. credit to bing.com
• The abbreviated route of the valuable canal has

also stimulated the ilustrados like Rizal to pursue higher studies abroad and learn liberal
ideas in European universities.
• Governor-General Carlos Maria De la Torre the First liberal governor-general in the
Philippines and the role model for the experience of liberalism of the country.
• After the liberals in Spain had deposed Queen Isabel II in the 1868 mutiny, a provisional
government was formed, and the new government extended to Spanish colonies the
reforms they implemented in the motherland.
• The provisional government was appointing Carlos Maria De la Torre as Governor-
General of the Philippines 1869 - 1871.
• He is widely considered to be the most beloved of the Spanish Governor-General ever
assigned in the country.

B. The Impact of the Bourbon Reforms

• Spanish Bourbon King Philip V, Ferdinand VI, Charles III, and Charles IV advocated a
century-long effort to reform and modify the Spanish empire.
• Bourbon reform policies – were an advantage that was under Spain from 1565 to 1898.
They surely impacted the way the colony was run by Spanish administrators but only to
a limited extent.
• The policies lacked some ideological coherence, with the diverse and frequently
contradictory aims of Madrid policymakers, who struggled haltingly to balance the
crown's several commercials, administrative, fiscal, and military aims.
• Impacts of reform in the diverse Spanish empire – having deep consequences of colonial
policy innovations in areas such as Mexico, Philippines, Chile, and New Granada, the
reforms had a much more limited impact.
• Its impact, at least, is that it gave people, especially the natives in the Philippines, the idea
that colonization could be done without much intervention from the Catholic Church.

C. The Cadiz Constitution

• During the Napoleonic control of Spain – a liberal constitution was declared in Cadiz
(March 1812).
 • Cadiz Constitution – drafted by chose agents, was placed by and by in practically all the
zones of the Hispanic Monarchy still leveled out of the Spanish crown.
• Cadiz Constitution is the primary Constitution in Europe to manage national power,
perceiving sway as corning from the individuals and not from the lord.
• It had a widespread character as it included everybody from abroad like the Italian
realms and even the Philippines.
• A gathering of around 300 appointees from Spain, Spanish America, and the Philippines
declared a liberal constitution in the Mediterranean port of Cadiz. It became
conceivable, particularly because the British Navy secured the city.
• Pedro Perez de Tagle and Jose Manuel Coretto were the first delegates from the
Philippines who made their vow of office in Madrid.
• Cadiz Constitution, which was officially executed in Manila not long after setting up the
standards of an all-inclusive male testimonial, national power established government
and opportunity of the press, and supported land change and free venture.
• Governor-General Manuel Gonzales Aguilar required an appointment of Manila
authorities, which brought about the determination of Don Ventura de Los Reyes. A well
off trader and individual from the Royal Corps of Artillery of Manila, as the appointee.
• The Vigan-conceived Don Véntura de Los Reyes was a child of poor Ilocano guardians.
He participated in the Ilocos revolt drove by Diego Silang in 1762, however later on
occupied with the vegetable and indigo business. He was one of the agents who marked
the Constitution, yet it was simply following a year that those in Manila thought about
its announcements."
• King Fernando VII (May of 1814) – announced it invalid and reestablished absolutism.
Notwithstanding, Cadiz was an exceptionally critical period in the political history of
the Spanish-talking world in any event.
• In the Philippines, one vital statement of faith epitomized in the Constitution was the
exclusion of the locals from paying tributes and rendering open administrations
dependent on its equity provision.
• For the opportunity cherishing individuals of the Philippines in the nineteenth century,
it was extremely compelling as it was a liberal constitution, which vested sway in the
individuals, perceived the equity all things considered and the individual freedom of the
resident, and allowed the privilege of testimonial.

Seeing Rizal’s Life in His Society

• “We see the life of an individual in his/her society, and society in the life of an individual.”
– is a widely accepted principle in various social sciences.
• Sociological Imagination – one unique feature of Rizal is that he did know not only the
valuable information about his society but also had a quality of mind that helped him use
the information in a way that he could think about what was going on in the world and of
what might be happening within himself.
Rizal's Social Qualities:
• He knew his place in the more noteworthy plan of things,
• He comprehended the cultural powers molding his life, and;
• He had the option to react in manners that profited others.