•CHAPTER 2: 19TH

CENTURY PHILIPPINES AS
RIZAL'S CONTEXT
BRIEF HISTORY OF THE
HISPANIC ERA
 3 REASONS OF COLONIALIZATION
1. GOD- THE CONVERSION OF
THE 3 G'S
NATIVES TO CHRISTIANITY.

2. GOLD- ACCUMULATION OF GOLD

AND WEALTH

3. GLORY- SUMPREMACY OF SPAIN

OVER PORTUGAL AS A
SUPERPOWER.
THE GALLEON TRADE
THE EC O NOM IC C ON T EX T
 19TH CEN TU R Y A S A
CE N TU R Y O F C HA N G E
END OF THE GALLEON TRADE, OPENING
THE SUEZ CANAL, OPENING OF PORTS
TO WORLD TRADES, RISE OF THE
EXPORT CROP ECONOMY AND
MONOPOLIES
NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF GALLEON TRADE IN THE
PHILIPPINE ECONOMY

• THE GALLEON TRADE HAD A NEGATIVE EFFECT ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

IN THE PHILIPPINES, SINCE VIRTUALLY ALL SPANISH CAPITAL WAS
DEVOTED TO SPECULATION IN CHINESE GOODS. THE IMPORTANCE OF THE
TRADE DECLINED IN THE LATE 18TH CENTURY AS OTHER POWERS BEGAN TO
TRADE DIRECTLY WITH CHINA.
END OF GALLEON TRADE AND OPENING OF SUEZ CANAL

ON SEPTEMBER 14, 1815, THE GALLEON TRADE BETWEEN THE PHILIPPINES AND MEXICO ENDED A FEW YEARS
BEFORE MEXICO GAINED INDEPENDENCE FROM SPAIN IN 1821.

THE SPANISH CROWN TOOK DIRECT CONTROL OF THE COUNTRY, AND WAS GOVERNED DIRECTLY FROM
MADRID. THE OPENING OF THE SUEZ CANAL AND THE INVENTION OF STEAM SHIPS, WHICH REDUCED THE
TRAVEL TIME FROM SPAIN TO THE PHILIPPINES TO 40 DAYS, MADE THIS MORE MANAGEABLE.
• POSITIVE RESULTS OF THE GALLEON TRADE WERE THE INTERCULTURAL EXCHANGES BETWEEN THE PHILIPPINES AND THE
AMERICANS, SYMBOLIZED BY NO LESS THAN THE MEXICAN-MADE VIRGIN OF ANTIPOLO, CHOSEN AS THE PATRONESS OF THE
SAILORS, WHO PROTECTED THEM FROM THE UNTOLD PERILS ACROSS THE PACIFIC.

• THE MANGO DE MANILA, TAMARIND AND RICE, THE CARABAO (KNOWN BY 1737 IN MEXICO), COCKFIGHTING, CHINESE TEA AND TEXTILES, FIREWORKS DISPLAY,
TUBA (COCONUT WINE) MAKING CAME TO MEXICO THROUGH THE TRANS-PACIFIC TRADE.

• IN EXCHANGE, THE RETURN VOYAGE BROUGHT INNUMERABLE AND VALUABLE FLORA AND FAUNA INTO THE PHILIPPINES: AVOCADO, GUAVA, PAPAYA, PINEAPPLE,
HORSES AND CATTLE.

• THE MORO-MORO, MORIONES FESTIVAL, AND THE IMAGE OF THE BLACK NAZARENE OF QUIAPO, WERE ALSO OF MEXICAN ORIGINS.

• THE MANILA-ACAPULCO GALLEON TRADE BEGAN WHEN ANDRES DE URDANETA IN CONVOY UNDER MIGUEL LOPEZ DE LEGASPI, DISCOVERED A RETURN ROUTE
FROM CEBU CITY TO MEXICO IN 1565.
GALLEON TRADE BECAME THE FUNDAMENTAL INCOME-GENERATING BUSINESS FOR SPANISH COLONISTS
LIVING IN THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS WITH A TOTAL OF 110 MANILA GALLEONS SET SAIL IN THE 250 YEARS OF
THE MANILA-ACAPULCO GALLEON TRADE (1565 TO 1815).
THE MANILA GALLEONS OR MANILA-ACAPULCO GALLEONS SAILED THE PACIFIC FOR NEARLY THREE CENTURIES,
BRINGING TO SPAIN THEIR CARGOES OF LUXURY GOODS, ECONOMIC BENEFITS AND CULTURAL EXCHANGE.
HOWEVER, GALLEON TRADE BENEFITED ONLY A VERY SMALL COTERIE OF PRIVILEGE SPANIARDS – THE
SPANISH GOVERNOR, MEMBERS OF THE CONSULADO (MERCHANTS WITH CONSULAR DUTIES AND RIGHTS)
USUALLY INSULARES, AND SPANISH RESIDENTS IN MANILA.
How important is the opening of Philippines
to international trade the Suez Canal?

The opening on November 17, 1869 of the Suez Canal in

Egypt, one of the most important artificial sea-level waterways
in the world, paved the way for the Philippines' direct
commercial relations with Spain instead of via Mexico.
TOBACCO MONOPOLY