Rizal's Times & Education

Prologue: Rizal and His Times

  • Understanding Rizal requires knowing the historical backdrop of both the world and the Philippines during his life.

World Events During Rizal's Life

  • Russia, 1861: Czar Alexander II emancipated 22,500,000 serfs.
  • United States, 1861-1865: American Civil War raged over Negro slavery; President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863.
  • Mexico, 1861-1867: Benito Juarez, a Zapotec Indian, became president, resisted French invasion, and eventually defeated Emperor Maximilian's forces with U.S. support.
  • Italy and Germany: Both nations unified; Italy under Count Cavour and Garibaldi, Germany under Otto von Bismarck.

Western Imperialism

  • England:
    • Emerged as the leading imperialist power under Queen Victoria.
    • Acquired Hong Kong and Kowloon Peninsula after the Opium Wars.
    • Imposed rule over India after suppressing the Indian Rebellion.
    • Colonized Burma, Ceylon, Maldives, Aden, Malaya, Singapore, Egypt, Australia, and New Zealand.
  • France:
    • Conquered Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos, forming French Indochina.
  • Netherlands:
    • Colonized the East Indies (Indonesia).
  • Czarist Russia:
    • Expanded eastward, conquering Siberia and occupying Kamchatka, Kuriles, and Alaska (later sold to the U.S.).
    • Conquered Muslim Khanates in Central Asia.
    • Joined England, France, and Germany in exploiting the Chinese Empire, gaining influence in Manchuria and building the Trans-Siberian Railway.
  • Japan:
    • Modernized under Emperor Meiji and began imperialist expansion.
    • Seized Formosa (Taiwan) and Pescadores in the Sino-Japanese War.
    • Annexed Korea in 1910.
  • Germany:
    • Became a sovereign state in 1871 and joined the scramble for colonies.
    • Seized Yap and other islands in the Carolines and Palau archipelagoes, leading to a dispute with Spain, which was arbitrated by Pope Leo XIII.

Spain's Decline and Philippine Conditions

  • Spain's colonial ventures declined; its Latin American colonies gained independence.
  • The Philippines suffered under Spanish misrule, marked by:
    • Instability of colonial administration.
    • Corrupt officialdom.
    • No Philippine representation in the Spanish Cortes.
    • Human rights denied to Filipinos.
    • No equality before the law.
    • Maladministration of justice.
    • Racial discrimination (Indios vs. Bangus).
    • Frailocracy: Friars controlled religious, educational, and political life.
    • Forced labor (polo).
    • Haciendas owned by friars.
    • Abuses of the Guardia Civil.

Instability of Colonial Administration

  • Frequent shifts in Spanish government led to inconsistent policies and rapid turnover of colonial officials.
  • From 1835 to 1897, the Philippines had 50 governors general, each serving approximately one year and three months, hindering political and economic development.

Corrupt Colonial Officials

  • Colonial officials were often corrupt, incompetent, cruel, or venal, symbolizing Spain's decline.
    • Examples include Governors General Rafael de Izquierdo, Jose Malcampo, Fernando Primo de Rivera, and Valeriano Weyler.
  • Many job-seekers and sycophants filled government positions, enriching themselves illegally.

Lack of Philippine Representation

  • Philippine representation in the Spanish Cortes was abolished in 1837, preventing Filipinos from addressing colonial abuses.
  • Despite pleas from Filipinos like Graciano Lopez Jaena, representation was never restored, leading to the Propaganda Movement.

Denial of Human Rights and Inequality

  • Filipinos were denied the freedoms enjoyed by Spaniards, including freedom of speech and the press.
  • The Spanish Penal Code imposed heavier penalties on native Filipinos or mestizos compared to white Spaniards.

Maladministration of Justice

  • Courts were corrupt and partial, favoring wealthy Spaniards.
  • Legal processes were slow and costly, denying justice to poor Filipinos resulting in cases dragging on for years or never being resolved.

Racial Discrimination

  • Filipinos were often called "Indios" derisively.
  • Social and political prestige was tied to having white skin and Castilian lineage.

Frailocracy

  • Friars wielded significant political power, controlling religious and educational life.
  • They influenced local elections, schools, public works, and peace and order.

Forced Labor (Polo)

  • Obligatory labor imposed on adult Filipino males for public works projects.
  • Abuses included white Spanish residents being exempt and laborers receiving inadequate or no payment.

Friar Land Ownership

  • Friars owned vast haciendas, leading to agrarian unrest.
  • Rizal advocated for agrarian reforms but faced resistance from the friars.

Guardia Civil

  • The Guardia Civil was created to maintain peace but became known for abuses against the populace.
  • Rizal criticized the Guardia Civil for their brutality and lack of training.

Chapter 1: Emergence of A National Hero

  • Rizal showed exceptional versatility and genius.
  • He excelled as a physician, poet, dramatist, novelist, architect, painter, sculptor, linguist, and more.
  • He dedicated his life to redeeming his oppressed people.

Birth

  • Rizal was born on June 19, 1861, in Calamba, Laguna.
  • His birth was difficult, and his mother vowed a pilgrimage to the Virgin of Antipolo in gratitude for his safe delivery.

Baptized

  • He was baptized on June 22, and Father Rufino Collantes predicted his greatness.

  • He was named Jose Protasio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda.

  • At the time of Rizal's birth, the governor-general of the Philippines was Lieutenant General Jose Lemery.

    # Rizal's Parents and Siblings
    - Father Francisco Mercado (1818-1898) who instilled in him a strong sense of self-respect, the love of work, and the habit of independent thinking
    - Mother Teodora Alonso (1826-1911) was a remarkable woman. She was a mathematician, Spanish literature expert and a role model
    - The Rizal Children:
    - Saturnina (1850-1913)
    - Paciano (1851-1930)
    - Narcisa (1852-1939)
    - Olimpia (1855-1887)
    - Lucia (1857-1919)
    - Maria (1859-1945)
    - Jose (1861-1896)
    - Concepcion (1862-1865)
    - Josefa (1865-1945)
    - Trinidad (1868-1951)
    - Soledad (1870-1929)

Rizal's Ancestry

  • Rizal had mixed ancestry, including Chinese, Japanese, Spanish, and Malay.

Surname

  • The family adopted "Rizal" as a second surname to avoid suspicion.

Rizal Home

      - The Rizal family home was a prominent stone house in Calamba, symbolizing their social standing.
      - It was a happy home filled with parental affection and children's laughter

Rizal Family

      - The family belonged to the principalla and lived comfortably through farming, stock-raising, and Doña Teodora's business endeavors
      - They valued hospitality, culture and treated everyone with special love and care

Rizal's Upbringing

      - The Rizals followed a simple, contented way of life
      - Don Francisco and Doi