Divine Word College of Legazpi

School of Education, Arts and Sciences

Legazpi City

GE MS
The Life and Works of Jose Rizal

Topic No. 3 – 19th Century Philippines as Rizal’s Context

Learning Outcomes

At the end of the lesson the students are expected to:

1. Analyze the various social, political, economic, cultural changes that occurred in
the 19th century; and
2. Make a brief summary of Spanish colonization in the Philippines.

Pretest

Identification
Identify the term/s being referred to.

_________1. A worldview founded on ideas of freedom and equality.

_________2. The ship trade going back and forth between Manila and Mexico.
_________3. The most prominent of the Ilustrados who inspired the craving for freedom and
independence.
_________4. The man-made canal built to shorten the travel time from Europe to Asia.
_________5. This monopoly was established by Gov. Gen. Jose Basco y Vargas.

Initiating Activity

In the 19th century, the world had witnessed many changes particularly in economy,
society and politics. Many nation-states were born across places. In the middle of this century,
Spain’s glory and power in the Philippines dwindled. At the end of it, marked the end of their
333-year colonization.

Upon watching the movie, “Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon,” describe the 19 th
century Philippines as represented in the film.

Discussion

The 19th century Philippines is divided into three aspects: economic, social, and political.
Take a look at it one by one, as it discussed major historical events that had helped shape the
country for what she is now.
Economic Context

1. End of Galleon Trade

The early inhabitants of the archipelago were already trading with the Chinese,
Japanese, Cambodians, Borneans and Siamese (Thais) even before the coming of the
Spaniards. When Spain colonized the Philippines in 1565, the trading with these people were
cut off. They closed the ports of Manila except to the Mexicans. This was called Manila-
Acapulco Trade otherwise known as Galleon Trade.
The Galleon Trade began in 1565. The ships were going back and fort Manila and
Acapulco, Mexico. The ships carried spices, wines, plants, animals, other products and
annual subsidy for the Philippines. For 250 years, the trade had served as the income
generating business for Spanish colonists in the country.

Manila became a trading hub not only in the Southeast region, but in the entire
pacific. It also allowed the modern and liberal ideals and philosophies to enter the country.
Thus, paved way to the birth of nationalism and clamoring for independence by the Filipinos.

The Galleon Trade ended on September 14, 1851 when Mexico started its war for
independence against Spain.

2. Opening of Suez Canal

The Suez Canal is an artificial sea-level waterway system in Egypt. It connects

the Red Sea and Mediterranean Sea. It was constructed by a French Company, Suez
Canal Company and engineered by Ferdinand de Lesseps in 1859. The construction was
finished on 1869 and was officially opened on November 17, 1869.

The opening of Suez Canal shortened the travel between places, like Europe and
the Philippines. Before, a ship from Spain took more than three months to reach Manila
because it passed the Cape of Good Hope, tip of southern Africa. With the opening of
Suez Canal the travel was shortened to a month and a half.

The opening of the canal was advantageous to all. First, it served as a passage for
commercial enterprises in Europe, Asia and the Americas. Second, it served as a passage
for modern and liberal ideals and philosophies to enter countries that were long oppressed
by the tyrants. Third, it served as an important factor that flared nationalistic desires like
Jose Rizal and his compatriots. And lastly, it encouraged the ilustrados like Rizal, Luna,
and Panganiban to study abroad and learn their ways and culture.

3. Rise of Export of Crop Economy

Most of the Spaniards were engrossed to maritime trading, but after the end of the
Galleon Trade, they started to exploit the natural resources of the country. Export crop
economy made its way in the nineteenth century.
 Products such as Manila hemp, sugar and coffee were produced for foreign
markets, while the European goods entered the Philippines. The export of crop economy
provided opportunities not only to the Spanish and Filipinos but also to the expanding
Chinese population. The Chinese of Manila moved to other adjacent places that produced
crops.

The development of the expert crop industry in the Philippines was motivated by
the commercial undertakings of North European and North American merchants. They
were the one who provided capital, organization, and access in port cities, especially
Manila, as they needed agents who could distribute imports in the interior and buy up
goods for export. This role was assumed by the Chinese.

4. Monopolies

The post-galleon era had created another main source of income, the trading
monopoly. Spanish colonists were very eager to collect huge revenues, that for the first
time opened the government monopoly contracts to foreigners in the 1850s. This
commercial opportunity was instantly grabbed by the Chinese, who enjoyed the pre-
eminent status in monopoly contracting in the country.

The Opium Monopoly was legalized in the Philippines in the 1840s. The Spanish
government profited with this kind of monopoly. But, the majority of contracts in the
opium monopoly were held by the Chinese.

Other products were monopolized the Spanish colonists, such as spirituous liquors
(1712- 1864), betel nut (1764), tobacco (1782-1882), and explosives (1805-1864). But
among these monopolies, the one considered most controversial and oppressive to
Filipinos was perhaps the Tobacco Monopoly.

In 1782, Governor General Jose Basco y Vargas placed the Tobacco industry
under government control. Thus, it established the Tobocco Monopoly. The monopoly
was created to increase government revenue since the annual subsidy was no longer
sufficient to maintain the colony. The widespread cultivation of tobacco in Cagayan,
Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Isabela, Abra, Nueva Ecija and Marinduque was
issued. These provinces were only permitted to plant tobacco. No one is allowed to keep
even a few tobacco. Everything will be sold to the government. Sanctions like fines and
physical punishment was imposed.

The Spanish government exported the tobacco to other countries and to the
cigarette factories in Manila. The revenues positively increased and it made the
Philippine tobacco well-known all-over Asia and some parts of Europe. But negatively, it
brought food shortages across the country since the focus was on planting tobacco not on
the basic crops.

The Tobacco Monopoly was abolished in 1882.

Social Context

1. Education

The Spanish offered the European system of education to the country. The
schools were run by Catholic missionaries. To convert the natives to Christianity,
Religion was made a compulsory subject at all levels.

The Laws of the Indies mandated the Spanish authorities to teach the natives how
to read and write and to learn and speak Spanish. The Spanish missionaries-built schools
and educated the natives of the rudiments of education, but not seriously taught the
Spanish language. They feared that if the natives would become knowledgeable, they
would be like them. And later on, they would expel them to the country.

The first formal schools in the land were the parochial schools that were operated
by the missionaries like Augustinians, Franciscans, Jesuits and Dominicans. They
introduced the 4Rs: Reading, wRiting, aRithmetic and Religion. Some vocational and
practical art subjects were introduced. Also, Latin language was taught in schools.

Colleges were opened for boys and girls separately. The subjects taught were
Latin, History, Geography, Philosophy, and Mathematics. And in the beginning of the
17th Century, universities were established in the country. At first, colleges and
universities were only offered to Spanish and Spanish mestizos. It took two centuries
before Filipinos were accepted to enter school. And still, the emphasis of education was
Religion.

In the middle of the 19th century, a Royal Decree of 1863 ordered the
establishment of public schools in the country. Formerly, schools were run by
missionaries, by this time, the government officials in the country run the schools. If
before, the schools were only for Spanish and Spanish mestizos, this time that was
opened for the Filipinos and even Chinese mestizos.

As the decree opened schools for all, there was the rising number of educated
Filipinos. And this paved way for the new social class in the country, the Ilustrados. But
despite of their wealth and education, they were still treated inferior to Spanish. Because
of this, they aimed to be in the same level with the Spanish.

The opening of Suez Canal and the coming of modern and liberal ideas in the
country, many of the Ilustrados went abroad, especially in Europe to further their studies.
Rizal, del Pilar, Luna and the rest of the Ilustrados in Madrid did their best to help the
country gain her independence, an example is the establishment of Propaganda
Movement.

2. Rise of Chinese Mestizo

 It was already discussed in the previous topics that at the beginning of the 19 th
century, there were economic and political changes that happened in the country.
Significantly, the end of Galleon Trade paved way for monopolies in the country. Opium
Monopoly was opened for the Chinese in the Philippines. Also, they were granted to
study by the virtue of Royal Decrees of 1863. Because of these, the Chinese mestizos
were given the opportunity to hold position in the country.

Political Aspect

Liberalism

Liberalism is a political philosophy based on belief in progress, the essential

goodness of human race, and the autonomy of individual and standing for the protection
of political and civil liberties. The liberals always believe that government is necessary in
protecting the individuals from other people.

The opening of Suez Canal and opening of Manila to world trade paved way for
the entry of modern and liberal ideas in the country. These political thoughts and liberal
ideas encouraged and stimulated the Ilustrados to further their studies abroad and to study
the liberal ideas and political system in Europe that later on were applied to gain the
independence of the country.

Summary

There were many changes that had happened in the 19 th century. In the Philippines, these
changes were divided into: economic, social and political aspects. Economic changes include the
end of Galleon Trade, opening of Suez Canal, rise of export crop economy and monopolies.
Socially, these changes were brought by the rise of Chinese mestizos and the opening of schools
for all. For political, is the coming of liberal ideas to the country that swayed the Ilustrados to
help the country redeem her independence. These changes brought massive impact to the country
as a whole.

Assessment

True or False
Write True if the statement is correct, False if it is incorrect.

____1. The Galleon Trade served as the central income-generating business for Spanish
colonists in the Philippines.
____2. The Suez Canal was constructed by the French Suez Company and connects the Black
Sea and Mediterranean Sea.
____3. The Chinese mestizos were given the monopoly contract on producing and selling
tobacco.
____4. When the Philippines was opened to world trade in the 18 th century, liberal ideas from
America started to penetrate the country.
____5. At the beginning, the schools run by missionaries and government officials were opened
to all social classes.

Essay

1. Why did Jose Rizal and other Filipino ilustrados develop more nationalistic ambitions
when the Suez Canal opened?

2. Why is it crucial to grasp the social and political environment that Rizal grew up in in
order to comprehend his life, ideas, and works?

References
Mañebog, Jensen. Life and Works of Rizal: Biography, Writings, and Legacies of Our Bayani,
Mutya Publishing House, Inc., 2018, Malabon City
Merriam-Webster Dictionary