JAROBILLA, ANA MELISSA D.

BSED-II

CHAPTER I
Advent of a National Hero

José Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda

Jose - was chosen by his mother who was a devotee of the Christian saint
SanJose (St. Joseph)
Protacio - from Gervacio P. which come from a Christian calendar
Mercado- adopted in 1731 by Domigo Lamco (the paternal great- great-
grandfather of Jose Rizal) which the Spanish term mercado means „market‟ in English
Rizal - from the word „Ricial‟ in Spanish means a field where wheat, cut while
stillgreen, sprouts again
Alonzo- old surname of his mother
Y – and
Realonda - it was used by Doña Teodora from the surname of her godmother
based on the culture
Birthdate: June 19, 1861
Birthplace: Calamba, Laguna
June 22, 1861-Baptismal of Rizal
Baptized in the Catholic Church; His name “Jose” was chosen by his mother who was a
devotee of the Christian Saint San Jose. (St. Joseph)
Nickname: “Pepe”
Jose Rizal was the 7th of the 11 children of Francisco Mercado Rizal & Teodora Alonso
Realonda
 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)

Ancestry (Paternal Side)

Domingo Lameo – great-great grandfather

A Chinese immigrant from Chang chow “China’s City of Spring”, he was married to Ines
De la Rosa
1731, he adopt the name “Mercado” meaning market.
Francisco Mercado – Domingo Lameo‟s son
Juan Mercado – Francisco‟s son, married to Cirila Alejandro
Francisco Mercado – Rizal‟s father (son of Juan Mercado)

Ancestry (Maternal Side)

Lakan Dula – descendant

Eugenio Ursua – great-great grandfather of Rizal
– he was married to Benigna
Regina – daughter of Eugenio, married to Manuel De Quintos
Brigida – daughter of Regina, married to Lorenzo Alberto, mother of Narcisa, Teodora,
Gregorio, Jose and Manuel
Rizal – “racial”; meaning “new pasture” and “green field”

Rizal’s home was one of the distinguished stone houses in Calamba during Spanish
times. By day, it hummed with the noises of children at play and the songs of the birds
in the garden. By night, it echoed with the dulcet notes of family prayers.
Rizal’s home was a good and middle-class family.

• The Rizal family belonged to the PRINCIPALIA, a town aristocracy in Spanish

Philippines. They rented farms from the Dominican Order and harvested rice,
corn and sugarcane.
• They raised pigs, chickens and turkeys.
• Doña Teodora managed a general goods store and operated a small flour-mill
and a home-made ham press.
• Rizal’s parents were able to build a large stone house and buy another one.
 • They owned a carriage and a private library.

They owned a carriage, which was a status symbol of the ILUSTRADOS (“learned”/
“enlightened”). They also have a private library. They sent their children to the Colleges
in Manila.

Home life of the Rizal’s, whenever the children, including Jose, got into mischief, they
were given a sound spanking.
They believed in the maxim: “Spare the rod and spoil the child.”

Every day, the Rizal’s heard Mass. They pray the Angelus, Rosary before sleeping.
After the family prayers, all children kissed the hands of their parents.

CHAPTER II
Childhood Years in Calamba

Jose Rizal had many beautiful memories of childhood in his native town, A happy home,
good parents, joy, and God’s blessings.
Calamba, the Hero’s town.

Calamba was a hacienda town which belonged to the Dominican Oder. Rizal loved
Calamba with all his heart and soul. He wrote a poem about his town, Un Recuerdo A
Mi Pueblo (In Memory of My Town) when he was 15 years old and a college student in
Ateneo de Manila.
Earliest Childhood Memories.

The first memory of Rizal was his happy days in the family garden when he was three
years old. Also, when his mother gathers all of them for a prayer. Another memory of his
infancy was a nocturnal walk in town with their maid.\
The Hero’s First Sorrow.

The Rizal children were bound together by ties of love and companionship. Of his
sisters, Jose loved most the little Concha (Concepcion). Unfortunately, Concha died of
sickness in 1865 when she was only 3 years old. Jose, who was very fond of her, cried
bitterly at losing her. The death of little Concha brought him his first sorrow.
Devoted Son of the Church.
At the age of three, he began to take part in the family prayers. His mother taught him
Catholic prayers. When he was 5, he was able to read the Spanish family Bible. Father
Leoncio Lopez, the town priest. He used to visit him and listen o his stimulating opinions
on current events and sound philosophy of life.
Pilgrimage to Antipolo.

On June 6, 1868, Jose and his father left Calamba to go on a pilgrimage to Antipolo, in
order to fulfill his mother’s vow which was made when Jose was born. It was the first trip
of Jose across Laguna de Bay. They visited Saturnina, who was then a boarding
student at La Concordia College in Sta. Ana.
The Story of the Moth.

Of the stories told by Dona Teodora to her favorite son. Jose, that of the young moth
made the profoundest impression on him. The tragic fate of the young moth, which “died
a martyr to its illusions,” left a deep impress on Rizal’s mind. He justified such noble
death, asserting that “to sacrifice one’s life for it,” meaning for an ideal, is “worthwhile.”
And, like that young moth, he was fated to die a martyr for a noble ideal.
Artistic Talents.

Since early childhood, Rizal revealed his God-given talent for art. At the age of five, he
began to make sketches with his pencil and to mold in clay and wax objects which
attracted his fancy. When he was six years old his sisters laughed at him for spending
so much time making those images rather than participating their games. When they
were departing, he told them: “All right laugh at me now! Someday when I die, people
will make monuments and images of me!”

First Poem by Rizal.

At the age of eight, Rizal wrote his first poem in the native language entitled Sa Aking
Mga Kababata (To My Fellow Children)

First Drama by Rizal.

After writing the poem To My Fellow Children, Rizal, who was then eight years old,
wrote his first dramatic work which was a Tagalog comedy. It is said that it was staged
in a Calamba festival and was delightfully applauded by the audience.
Rizal as Boy Magician.

Since early manhood Rizal had been interested in magic. He entertained his town folks
with magic-lantern exhibitions. In later years when he attained manhood, he continued
his keen predilection for magic. He read many books in magic and attended the
performances of the famous magicians of the world.
Lakeshore Reveries.

During twilight hours of summertime Rizal, accompanied by his et dog, used to meditate
at the shore Laguna de Bay on the sad conditions of his oppressed people. Young
though he was, he grieved deeply over the unhappy situation of his beloved fatherland.
The Spanish misdeeds awakened in his boyish heart a great determination to fight
tyranny.
Influences on the Hero’s Boyhood.

1. Hereditary influence
2. Environmental influence
3. Aid of Divine Providence

CHAPTER III
Early Education in Calamba and Binan

Rizal had his early education in Calamba and Binan. It was a typical schooling that a
son of an ilustrado family received during his time, characterized by the four R’s-
reading, writing, arithmetic, and religion.
The Hero’s First Teacher.

The first of Rizal was his mother, who was a remarkable woman of good character and
fine culture. As Jose grew older, his parents employed provate tutors to give him
lessons at home. Maestro Celestino, Maestro Lucas Padua, and later, an old man
named Leon Monroy, a former classmate of his father.
Jose Goes to Binan.

June 1869, Jose left Calamba for Binan. He was accompanied by Paciano, who acted
as his second father. The same night, Jose, with his cousin named Leandro, went
sightseeing in the town. Instead of enjoying, Jose became depressed because of
homesickness.
First Day in Binan School.

The next morning, Paciano brought his younger brother to the school of Maestro
Justiniano Aquino Cruz. The school was in the house of the teacher, which was a small
nipa hut about 30 meters from the home of Jose’s aunt.
First School Brawl.
In the afternoon of his first day in school, when the teacher was having siesta, Jose met
the bully Pedro. He was angry for making fun of him during his conversation with the
teacher in the morning. In succeeding days, he had other fights with the boys in Binan.
He was not quarrelsome by nature, but he never ran away from a fight.
Printing Lesson’s in Binan.

Near the school, was the house of an old painter, called Juanco. Jose, lured by his love
for painting, spent many leisure hours at the painter’s studio. Jose and his classmate,
Jose Guevarra, who also loved painting, became apprentices of the old painter who
gives them free lessons.
Daily life in Binan.

Jose led a methodolical life in Binan, almost Spartan in simplicity. Such a life
contributed much to his future development. It strengthened his body and soul.
Best Student in School.

In academic studies, Jose beat all Binan boys. He surpassed them all in Spanish, Latin,
and other subjects.
End of Binan Schooling.

Before the Christmas season in 1870, Jose received a letter from his sister Saturnina,
informing him of the arrival of the steamer Talim which would take him from Binan to
Calamba.
Martyrdom of Gom-Bur-Za.
Night of January 20, 1872, about 200 Filipino soldiers and workmen of the Cavite
arsenal under the leadership of Lamadrid, Filipino sergeant, rose in violent mutiny
because of the abolition of their usual privileges, including exemption from tribute and
polo (forced labor) by the reactionary Governor Rafael de Izquierdo.
Injustice to Hero’s Mother.

Before June of 1872, tragedy struck the Rizal family. Dona Teodora was suddenly
arrested on a malicious charge that she and her brother, Jose Alberto, tried to poison
the latter’s perfidious wife.