Jose Rizal Life, works, and Writings of a Genius, Writer, Scientist, and National Hero -Gregorio F. Zaide

1. To appreciate and understand the life of Dr.
Jose Rizal, it is necessary to know the
historical background of the world and of the
Philippines during his times.

2. PROLOGUE
The World of Rizal’s Times:
• June, 19, 1861- (Rizal was born) the America Civil War
(1861-65) was raging furiously in the United States over
the issue of Negro slavery.
• September, 22, 1863- President Lincoln compelled to
issue his famous Emancipation Proclamation freeing the
Negro slaves.
• June, 1, 1861- Benito Juarez, a full-blooded Zapotec
Indian, was elected President of Mexico.
• April 1862- Napoleon III invaded and conquered Mexico
to have colonial in Latin America.

3. • June, 12, 1864- Napoleon III, installed Archduke
Maximillian of Austria as a puppet emperor of Mexico.
• May 15, 1867- Juarez, with U.S. support, defeated
Maximillian’s French forces in the Battle of Queretaro.
• June 19, 1867- Emperor Napoleon III ambition to
colonized Latin American was fizzled.
• January 18, 1871- the Prussians led by Otto von
Bismarck, the “Iron Chancellor”, defeated France in the
Franco-Prussian War and established the German Empire
with King Wilhelm as first Kaiser.

4. • 1837-1901-glorious reign of Queen Victoria and proudly
asserted: “Britannia rules the waves”.
• July 8, 1853- American squadron under the command of
Commodore Matthew C. Perry re-opened Japan to the
world.
• 1639-1853- Emperor Meiji (Mutsuhito) of Japan
modernized the country by freely accepting Western
imperialism and influences.
• 1894-95- began Sino-Japanese War by fighting weak
China, grabbed Formosa (Taiwan), and Pescadores. And
later in 1910 annexed Korea.

5. • January 1871- Germany became sovereign state and
was late to scramble for colonies in Asia and Africa.
• August 25, 1885- German warship, the Ilties, entered
the harbor of Yap, landing German marines who seized
the island, hoisted German flag and proclaimed the
Carolines and Palau archipelagoes as colonies of
Germany.
• Don Enrique Capriles- Spanish Governor of Carolines
present in the Island with two Spanish ships but due
cowardice or other reason, he did not offer resistance
to the German aggression.

6. Spain once upon a time the “mistress of the world” ,
was stagnating as a world power. Gone with the
winds of time was the dalliance of the imperial glory
of her vanished Siglo de Oro (Golden Age). She lost
her rich colonies in Latin America. But still continued
a despotic rule in her remaining overseas colonies,
including Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines.

7. The Philippines of Rizal’s Times
• Spain decadence darkened Philippine
skies. Filipino agonized beneath the yoke
of Spanish misrule, for they unfortunate
victims of evils of an unjust, bigoted, and
deteriorating colonial power. Among
these evils were as follows:

8. Instability of colonial administration:
• 1808-1833- beginning of political chaos on Spain. The
Spanish Government underwent frequent changes owing
to bitter struggles between the forces of despotism and
liberalism and the explosion of the Carlist Wars.
• This political instability adversely affected Philippines
affairs because its brought frequent periodic shifts in
colonial policies and a periodic rigodon of colonials
officials.

9. • Corruption officialdom
-colonial officials sent by Spain to the Philippines were a highly
corrupt, incompetent, cruel and venal.
• General Rafael de Izquirdo (1871-73)- boastful and ruthless
governor, aroused the anger of the Filipinos by executing the
innocent Fathers “GomBurZa” the Martyrs of 1872.
• General Fernando Primo de Rivera (1880-83 and 1897-98)-
enriched himself by accepting bribes from gambling casino in
Manila which he scandalously permitted to operate.

10. • General Valeriano Weyler (1888-91)- a cruel corrupt
governor general of Hispanic-German ancestry, arrived in
Manila a poor man and returned to Spain a millionaire.
The Filipino scornfully called him “tyrant” because of his
brutal prosecution of the Calamba tenants, particularly
the family of Dr. Jose Rizal. And “The Buncher” in Cuba
because of his ruthless reconcentration policy.
• General Camilo de Polavieja(1896-97)- an able militarist
but heartless, was widely detested by the Filipino people
for executing Dr. Rizal.

11. • No Philippines representation in the Spanish Cortes
• Human Rights denied to Filipino
• No equality before law
• Maladministration of justice
• Racial discrimination
• Frailocracy
• Force labor
• Haciendas owned by the friars
• Guardia Civil