19th Century Milieus 

 
 
Mary Eliza Valenzuela GE-LWR - MWF 8:30 - 9:30
Joan Arreola 
 
❏ Share  your  ideas  about  the  19th  Century  Philippines.  On  the  center  of  bond  paper,  create  a 
circle  with  the  phrase  "19th  Century  Philippines"  wherein  you  and  your  partner  should  write  at 
least  five  ideas  each  using  straight  and  zigzag  lines  to  make  a  distinction  between  your  ideas 
and your partner's ideas. 
 

 
 
 
 ❏ Describe the economic, socio-cultural, political, and religious milieus in the Philippines 
during the 19th century. 
 
 
Many  scholars  consider  the  19th  century  as  an  era  of  profound  change  in  the  Philippines. 
During  this  period,  vast  economic,  political,  social  and  cultural  currents  are  felt.  Many  imperial 
powers  in  Europe  and  the  west  were  undergoing  industrialization,  there  was an increase of demand 
for raw materials presented an opportunity in the agricultural potential in 
  the  Philippines. In the half of the 19th century, majority exports of the Philippines came from 
cash  crops  like  tobacco,  sugar,  cotton,  indigo,  abaca  and  coffee.  There  is  also  a monopoly industry 
like  tobacco.  Thus,  the  Chinese  Mestizos  were  an  important  element  of the Philippine society in the 
19th  century.  As  Manila  became  a  trading  center,  it  became  a  viable  destination  to  escape  the 
worsening  conditions  in  the  farmlands.  The  Galleon  Trade  with  the  route  Maynila-Acapulco  is  the 
trading system. However, Filipinos were not allowed to trade with the other countries.  
 
The  power  of  religious  orders  remained  one  of  the  great  constants,  over  the  centuries,  of 
Spanish  colonial  rule.  Even  in  the  late  nineteenth  century,  the  friars  of  the  Augustinian,  Dominican, 
and  Franciscan  orders  conducted many of the executive and control functions of government on the 
local  level.  They  were  responsible  for  education  and  health  measures,  kept  the  census  and  tax 
records,  reported  on  the  character  and  behavior  of  individual  villagers,  supervised  the  selection  of 
local  police  and  town  officers,  and  were  responsible  for  maintaining  public  morals  and  reporting 
incidences  of  sedition  to  the  authorities. Contrary to the principles of the church, they allegedly used 
information  gained  in confession to pinpoint troublemakers. Given the minuscule number of Spanish 
living  outside  the  capital  even  in  the  nineteenth  century,  the  friars  were  regarded  as  indispensable 
instruments of Spanish rule that contemporary critics labeled a "friarocracy" (​frailocracia​). 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ❏ Identify and describe what types of change (social, political, economic or cultural) can be 
applied in the following events that happened in the Philippines during the 19th century.  
 
 

19TH Century Event  Type of Change: (Social,  Description of Event 

Political, Economic, or 
Cultural) 

The  Cavite  mutiny  (​Spanish​:  El  Mótin  de 

1. The Cavite Mutiny  Economic Change 
Cavite)  of  1872  was  an  uprising  of 
Filipino  military  personnel  of  ​Fort  San 
Felipe​,  the  Spanish  ​arsenal  in  ​Cavite​, 
Philippine  Islands  (then  also  known  as 
part  of  the  ​Spanish  East  Indies​)  on  20 
January  1872.  Around  200  locally 
recruited  ​colonial  troops  and  laborers 
rose  up  in  the  belief that it would elevate 
to  a  national  uprising.  The  mutiny  was 
unsuccessful,  and  government  soldiers 
executed  many  of  the  participants  and 
began  to  crack  down  on  a  burgeoning 
Philippines  nationalist  movement.  Many 
scholars  believed  that  the  Cavite  Mutiny 
of  1872  was  the  beginning  of  Filipino 
nationalism  that would eventually lead to 
the ​Philippine Revolution of 1896​. 

The metrical romance Florante at Laura

2. Publication of  Social and Cultural Change 
by Francisco Baltazar (1788–1862) is a
Florante at Laura  unique case in the history of Philippine
literature and publishing. It holds the
distinction of being the only poem
published in the country that has not
gone out of print since its first
publication, that has been translated into
 various local and foreign languages, and
that continues to be read to this day.
Baltazar, popularly known as Balagtas,
has been hailed as the greatest of
Tagalog poets and his Florante at Laura
acclaimed as a masterpiece. But beyond
literary merit, what has ensured the
survival of both poet and poem through
the years is the great historical, social,
and cultural value they have been
granted.

Apolinario  de  la  Cruz  (July  22,  1815  – 

3. The Execution of  Social Change 
November  4,  1841),  known  as  Hermano 
Hermano Pule  Pule  Spanish  for  "Brother  Pule";  also 
spelled  Hermano  Puli),  was  a  Filipino 
religious  leader  who  founded and led the 
Cofradía  de  San  José  (Confraternity  of 
St.  Joseph).  The  cofradía  was 
established  in  1832  in  response  to  the 
racially  discriminatory  practices  of  the 
Catholic  Church  in  the  Philippines. 
During  the  Spanish  colonial  period, 
Catholic  religious  orders  refused  to 
admit  native  Filipinos  as  members.  In 
retaliation,  Pule  established  his  own 
religious  order  which  was  exclusive  for 
native  Filipinos.  During  its  peak,  the 
cofradía  had  4,500  to  5,000  members 
from  the  provinces  of  Tayabas, 
Batangas,  and Laguna. Fearing an armed 
rebellion,  the  Spanish  colonial 
government  sent  military  forces  to 
suppress  the  cofradía,  an  attack  that 
was  resisted  by  Hermano  Pule  and  his 
followers  on  October  23, 1841. However, 
 more  troops  were  sent  and  the  cofradía 
was  finally  quelled  by  the  colonial 
military  forces  on  November  1,  1841. 
Pule  was  then  captured,  tried,  and 
executed. 

A  Spanish  constitution,  adopted  by  the 

4. The implementation  Social Change 
constituent  Cortes  in  Cádiz  on  Mar.  18, 
Cadiz Constitution in  1812,  and  made  public on Mar. 19, 1812, 
Manila  during  the  Spanish  Revolution  of 
1808-14.  The  constitution  declared  that 
“sovereignty  resides  in  the  nation,  which 
retains  the exclusive right to establish its 
own  fundamental  laws”.  Spain  was 
proclaimed  a  hereditary  monarchy,  with 
legislative  power  vested  in  the  Cortes 
and  the  monarch  and  executive  power 
represented  by  the  monarch.  The 
constitution  proclaimed  individual 
freedom  and  the  inviolability  of  domicile 
but  declared  Catholicism  the  official 
religion  of  Spain  and  prohibited  the 
practice  of  any  other  religion.  The 
constitution  proclaimed  the  equality  of 
Spaniards  of  the  mother  country  and 
those  of  the  Spanish  colonies  and 
established  a  national  militia  in  the 
provinces.  On  his  return  to  Spain,  King 
Ferdinand VII revoked the constitution on 
May  4,  1814.  Restored at the outbreak of 
the  Spanish  Revolution  of  1820-1823  (it 
was  proclaimed  by  Riego  y  Núñez  on 
Jan.  1,  1820,  and  Ferdinand  VII  swore to 
uphold  it  on  Mar.  9,  1820),  it  was  again 
abolished  on  Oct.  1,  1823,  by  Ferdinand 
VII.  On  Aug.  12,  1836,  the  constitution 
 went  into  effect  for  a  third  time  in 
response  to  the  demands  of the masses 
and  remained  in  force  until  the  adoption 
of a new constitution on June 18, 1837. 

Economic Change  The  193.30  km  (120  miles)-long  Suez 

5. The opening of Suez 
Canal  is  an  artificial  sea-level  waterway 
Canal  located  in  Egypt  and  connects  the 
Mediterranean  Sea  with  the Gulf of Suez, 
a  northern  branch  of  the  Red  Sea. 
Officially  opened  in  November  1869,  the 
Suez  Canal  is  one  of  the  most  heavily 
used  shipping  routes  in  the  world, 
witnessing  the  passage  of  thousands  of 
vessels  every  year.  The  canal,  which 
separates  Asia  from  the  African 
continent,  offers  a  shortest  maritime 
route  between  Europe  and  the  regions 
that  share  a  border  with  the  Indian 
Ocean  and  the  Western  Pacific  Ocean. 
The  journey  from  Europe  through  the 
Mediterranean  Sea  and  the  Red  Sea, 
transiting  through  the  Suez  Canal,  cuts 
around  7,000  kilometres  off  the  journey 
compared  to  the  one  carried out through 
the  South  Atlantic  and  southern  Indian 
oceans.  The  canal  also  connects  the 
Port  Said  in  northeast  Egypt  with  Port 
Tewfik at the city of Suez in the south. 

La  Solidaridad  (The  Solidarity)  was  an 

6. La Solidaridad is first  Economic Change 
organization  created  in  Spain  on 
published in Spain 
December  13,  1888.  Composed  of 
Filipino  liberals  exiled  in  1872  and 
students  attending  ​Europe​'s  universities, 
the  organization  aimed  to  increase 
 Spanish  awareness  of  the  needs  of  its 
colony,  the  ​Philippines​,  and to propagate 
a  closer  relationship  between  the 
Philippines  and  Spain.  ​Headed  by  ​José 
Rizal​'s  cousin,  Galicano  Apacible,  it  also 
issued  a  newspaper  of  the  same  name 
which  was  published  in ​Barcelona​, Spain 
on  February  15,  1889.  It  was  edited  by 
Graciano  López  Jaena  and  later  on  by 
Marcelo  H.  del  Pilar​.  The  social,  cultural, 
and  economic  conditions  of  the  colonial 
Philippines  were  published  in  ​La 
Solidaridad​.  Speeches  of  the  Spanish 
liberals  about  the  Philippines  were  also 
featured in the newspaper. 

La  Liga  Filipina  (lit.  'The  Philippine 

7. Rizal forms the La  Cultural Change 
League')  was  a  ​secret  organization​.  It 
Liga Filipina  was  founded  by  ​José  Rizal  in  the  house 
of  Doroteo  Ongjunco  at  Ilaya  Street, 
Tondo,  Manila  on  July  3,  1892.  ​The 
organization  derived  from  ​La Solidaridad 
and  the  ​Propaganda  movement​.  The 
purpose  of La Liga Filipina was to build a 
new  group  that  sought  to  involve  the 
people  directly  in  the  reform  movement. 
The  league  was  to  be  a  sort  of  mutual 
aid  and  self-help  society  dispensing 
scholarship  funds  and  legal  aid,  loaning 
capital  and  setting  up  cooperatives,  the 
league  became  a  threat  to  Spanish 
authorities  that  they  arrested  Rizal  on 
July 6, 1892 on Dapitan. 
 Bonifacio then founded the
8. Bonifacio forms the  Cultural Change 
“Katastaasang Kagalanggalangang
Katipunan  Katipuanan ng mga Anak ng Bayan”
(KKK) on July 7, 1892 in a house on
Azcarraga street (now Claro M. Recto),
in Tondo Manila. The Katipunan had
colorful beginnings. As a symbol of the
member’s loyalty, they performed the
solemn rite of sanduguan (blood
compact), wherein each one signed his
name with his own blood. The members
agreed to recruit more people using the
“triangle system” of enlistment. Each
original member would recruit two new
members who were not related to each
other. Each new member would do the
same thing, and so on down the line.
Members were also asked to contribute
one ​Real (about 25 centavos) each
month in order to raise funds for the
association. 

The  Battle  of  Binakayan-Dalahican 

9. Battle of Binakayan  Cultural Change 
(​Filipino​:  Labanan  sa 
Binakayan-Dalahican,  ​Spanish​: Batalla de 
Binakayan-Dalahican)  was  a 
simultaneous  battle during the ​Philippine 
Revolution  that  was  fought  from 
November  9–11,  1896  that  led  to  a 
decisive  Filipino  victory.  The  twin  battle 
took  place  at  the  shores of Binakayan, in 
the  town  of  Cavite  Viejo  (also  called 
Cavite  el  Viejo,  now  ​Kawit​);  Dalahican 
and  Dagatan in ​Noveleta​; and, to minimal 
extent,  in  ​Imus  and  ​Bacoor  towns  in 
Cavite  province,  ​Philippines  that  lasted 
 for  two  days  before  the  Spanish  army 
retreated  demoralized  and  in  disarray. 
The  result  of  the  battle  was  the  first 
significant  Filipino  victory  in  the 
country's history​.

The Liberal Party of the Philippines

10. The establishment of  Political Change 
(Filipino: Partido Liberal ng Pilipinas) or
Partido Liberal  LP is a liberal political party in the
Philippines, founded by then senators
Senate President Manuel Roxas, Senate
President Pro-Tempore Elpidio Quirino,
and former 9th Senatorial District
Senator José Avelino, on January 19,
1946 by a breakaway Liberal wing from
the old Nacionalista Party. It was the
ruling party from 2010 to 2016 after the
election victory of Benigno Aquino III as
the President of the Philippines. Today,
the Liberals are the opposition and
maintain at least six seats in the Senate,
and at least 27 of seats in the House of
Representatives. Around 50% of
governors, 50% of vice governors, and
33% of board members are also
Liberals.The Liberal Party is the second
oldest extant political party in the
Philippines in terms of date of
establishment, and the oldest
continually-active political party in the
Philippines. The party has been led by
respected liberal thinkers and
pro-development politicians like Manuel
Roxas, Elpidio Quirino, Diosdado
Macapagal, Gerry Roxas, Benigno
Aquino, Jr., Jovito Salonga, Raul Daza,
Florencio B. Abad Jr., Franklin Drilon,
 Mar Roxas, and Benigno Aquino III. Two
of its members, Corazon Aquino and
Leila de Lima, have received the
prestigious Prize for Freedom, the
highest international award for liberal
and democratic politicians since 1985.