Lesson 3 - Rizal's Life: Family, Childhood and Early Education Flashcards
When and where was Jose Rizal born?
Jose Rizal was born on the night of June 19, 1861, in Calamba, Laguna
How was Jose Rizal named?
He was named Jose Protacio in honor of Saint Joseph and Saint Protacio.
What was Rizal’s nickname and how did he get it?
Rizal’s nickname was Pepe, derived from the Latin “pater putativus” (P.P.) following San Jose’s name, meaning Jesus Christ’s supposed father
What vow did Rizal’s mother make during her difficult childbirth?
Dona Teodora vowed to send her child on a pilgrimage to the shrine of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage in Antipolo if she survived the difficult birth
Who baptized Rizal and what did the priest predict?
Father Rufino Collantes baptized Rizal, and predicted that Jose would become someone important due to the unusual size of his head
When was Rizal christened?
Rizal was christened at the church on June 22, 1861, when he was only three days old
Who helped restore Rizal’s baptismal certificate after it was destroyed?
Father Leoncio Lopez, a Filipino priest and friend of the Mercado family, helped restore the certificate
Describe Rizal’s family life.
Rizal’s parents, Don Francisco and Dona Teodora, maintained a harmonious relationship and instilled good values in their children, emphasizing courtesy and religious observance. They also provided them with opportunities for education and recreation.
What was the social and economic status of Rizal’s family?
As Principalia, they were able to build a stone house near the church, buy another one, owned a stagecoach, a library, and could send their children to college in Manila
How many children did Don Francisco and Dona Teodora have?
Don Francisco and Dona Teodora had 11 children, with 2 boys and 9 girls
Name all of Rizal’s siblings
- Saturnina
- Paciano
- Narcisa
- Olimpia
- Lucia
- Maria
- Concepcion
- Josefa
- Trinidad
- Soledad
Who were Rizal’s parents?
His father was Francisco Engracio Rizal Mercado y Alejandra II and his mother was Teodora Morales Alonzo Realonda y Quintos
What was Don Francisco’s background?
Don Francisco was born on May 11, 1818, in Binan, Laguna, and was from the fourth generation of a Chinese immigrant named Domingo Lamco. He studied Latin and philosophy, and was highly regarded in Calamba.
What was Dona Teodora’s background?
Doña Teodora was born on November 9, 1827, in Manila. She was a cultured and talented woman with business acumen and tenacity.
How did Jose Rizal view his father?
Jose Rizal considered his father a “model of fathers” and believed he inherited his strong-willed, educated, and independent-minded traits from him.
What was Dona Teodora’s reaction to the Philippine Government offering her a life pension?
She politely declined, saying, “My family has never been patriotic for money. If the government has a surplus of funds and is unsure what to do with them, it should lower taxes”
What qualities did Rizal admire in his mother?
Rizal admired his mother’s knowledge of literature, fluency in speaking, mathematical skills, and her ability to correct his poems.
Who was the eldest of Rizal’s siblings?
The eldest of the siblings was Saturnina (1850-1913), commonly referred to as Neneng
What role did Saturnina play in Rizal’s life?
Saturnina was Rizal’s eldest sister, who supported his work and published a Tagalog translation of “Noli Me Tangere”.
What was Paciano’s role in Jose Rizal’s life?
Paciano was 10 years older than Jose and was more of a second father than an elder brother, especially since Don Francisco had entrusted him with the management of the family lands
What is know about Paciano Rizal?
Paciano (1851-1930) was Rizal’s elder and only brother, referred to as Ciano. He studied Latin with Maestro Justiniano Cruz before enrolling at the Colegio de San Jose in Manila. Jose referred to him as “Uto” and Paciano sent him a monthly allowance while he was studying abroad. He was also involved in the Revolutionary forces in Laguna
How did Narcisa help the Rizal family after Jose’s execution?
Narcisa searched for and found Rizal’s remains in an unmarked grave, placing a marker to mislead authorities.
Who was Olimpia?
Olimpia (1855-1887), called Ypia, was Rizal’s 4th child and married Silvestro Ubaldo
How was Olimpia connected to Rizal’s first love?
Olimpia was the schoolmate of Segunda Katigbak, Rizal’s first love, and served as a mediator between them.
What happened to Lucia’s husband?
Lucia’s (1857-1919) husband, Mariano Herbosa, died in 1889 as a result of an epidemic and was denied a Christian burial because he was Rizal’s brother-in-law
What impact did Mariano Herbosa’s death have on the Rizal family?
Mariano Herbosa, Lucia’s husband, was denied a Christian burial because he was Rizal’s brother-in-law, marking the beginning of the Rizal family’s persecution by Spanish friars.
Who was Maria and what was her connection to Rizal?
Maria (1859-1945) married Daniel Faustino Cruz. Mauricio Cruz, one of her children, became a student of Rizal in Dapitan and was a favorite of his. Maria was a frequent recipient of Rizal’s letters
What is known about Concepcion?
Concepcion (1862-1865), called Concha, died at the age of 3
What significant item did Trinidad receive from Jose before his death?
Trinidad (1868-1951) received an alcohol lamp from Jose in which he secretly hid the “Last Farewell” poem
What was Trinidad’s role in preserving Rizal’s “Last Farewell”?
Trinidad received the alcohol lamp from Jose in which he secretly hid his poem “Mi Ultimo Adios”.
Who was the youngest of Rizal’s siblings?
The youngest of Rizal’s siblings was Soledad (1870-1929)
What was unique about the Rizal family’s reaction to Jose’s political activities?
Despite persecution and deportation, no one in the family advised Rizal to stop his political activities, demonstrating family solidarity.
What were some of Jose Rizal’s ancestral origins?
Jose had Chinese ancestors on his father’s side and Japanese ancestors on his mother’s side. His mother was also a descendant of Rajah Lakandula, and his ancestry can be traced back to Malayan and Indonesian genes
Who was Domingo Lamco?
Domingo Lamco was a native Chinese and Rizal’s great-great grandfather on his father’s side who arrived in Manila around 1690 and later changed his surname to “Mercado”
Why did Domingo Lamco change his surname to “Mercado”?
He changed his surname to “Mercado” in 1731, which means “market,” suitable for a merchant like him.
Who was Francisco Mercado (Rizal’s great grandfather)?
Francisco Mercado was Jose’s great grandfather, who married Cirila Bernancha and was eventually elected as the town’s Gobernadorcillo in Binan
Who was Juan Mercado (Rizal’s grandfather)?
Juan Mercado was Jose’s grandfather, who was also elected as Gobernadorcillo multiple times and married Cirila Alejandra
Who was Rajah Lakandula?
Rajah Lakandula was the last native king of Tondo and a Bornean Muslim, and Jose Rizal’s matrilineal descent can be traced back to him
Who was Eugenio Ursua?
Eugenio Ursua, Dona Teodora’s great-great grandfather, was of Japanese ancestry and married a Filipina named Benigna
Why did Rizal’s family use the surname Rizal instead of Mercado?
To protect Jose from being associated with his brother Paciano, who was linked to Father Burgos and the Cavite mutiny.
What was Rizal’s early childhood environment like?
They lived on the shore of Laguna Lake at the foot of Mt. Makiling, and he enjoyed the beauty of Laguna de Bay. Because he was frail and sickly, his parents lavished him with tender loving care
Who was Rizal’s first teacher?
His mother, Teodora, was Rizal’s first teacher.
Where did Rizal go for his first formal schooling?
Rizal was sent to a private school in Binan.
What did Rizal’s mother teach him at a young age?
His mother taught him the alphabet and how to pray when he was 3 years old and encouraged him to write poems. She also taught him to read the Holy Bible
What was the significance of the nipa hut built by Rizal’s father?
His father built him a small nipa hut to serve as a sanctuary for him to play with his siblings and a resting place
What kind of stories did Rizal’s nursemaid tell him?
His nursemaid told him ghost stories, treasure stories, legends, and folktales, sometimes using them to scare him into eating
What were some of Rizal’s childhood pastimes?
He often enjoyed playing alone and listening to the different birds sing. He also learned to perform magic tricks
What was one of Rizal’s happiest childhood memories?
One of his happiest memories was a trip with his father to Antipolo to fulfill his mother’s vow to perform a pilgrimage to the Virgin of Antipolo
What was Rizal’s first experience of grief?
Jose experienced his first grief when he was 4 years old due to the death of his younger sister Concepcion
What was the story of the moth that his mother told him?
His mother told him a story about a moth that was drawn to a flame and eventually died in it. This story left an indelible memory of sacrificing for a worthy cause in exchange for something valuable
Besides his mother, who were some of Rizal’s private tutors?
His private tutors included Maestro Celestino, Maestro Lucas Padua, and Leon Monroy.
What happened on Rizal’s first day of formal schooling in Binan?
On his first day, Rizal met a bully named Pedro who made fun of him. Rizal, who had learned wrestling from his uncle Manuel, triumphed over Pedro in a fight. He was later challenged to an arm-wrestling match by another classmate, Andres Salandanan.
How old was Rizal when his mother was imprisoned?
Jose Rizal was 11 years old when his mother was imprisoned
Why was Dona Teodora arrested and imprisoned?
Dona Teodora was arrested by the Spaniards and forced to walk 50 kilometers. She was then charged and imprisoned for 2 years without trial for falsehoods leveled against her, particularly an accusation that she attempted to poison her sister-in-law
How did Rizal perform in school in Binan?
Jose stood out in class and he outperformed many of his older classmates.
Who were Gomburza and what happened to them?
Gomburza were Filipino priests accused and found guilty by Spanish authorities of allegedly orchestrating the Cavite Mutiny of 1872 and were charged with treason and sedition. They were sentenced to public execution by garrote in the same year
Where did Rizal go to study in Manila after the death of Gomburza and his mother’s imprisonment?
Rizal was sent to Manila to study at the Ateneo de Municipal, a school run by Spanish Jesuits
Why was Rizal initially denied admission to Ateneo?
He was initially denied admission because he was late for registration and because he was frail and sickly, in addition to being small for his age
How did Rizal eventually get admitted to Ateneo?
Jose was finally admitted because of the intervention of Manuel Xerez Burgos, the nephew of one of the martyred priests
What surname did Rizal use when he enrolled in Ateneo and why?
When Jose enrolled in Ateneo, he took the surname Rizal because the family name Mercado had raised suspicions among authorities
How were classes organized at Ateneo?
For the first two terms, classes were divided into internos and externos, representing the Roman Empire and the Carthaginian Empire, respectively. Students competed individually for honors within these empires
What extracurricular activities did Rizal participate in at Ateneo?
He took private Spanish lessons during recess at Santa Isabel College to improve his fluency and could join the fraternity of Mary and Saint Louis Gonzaga if he distinguished himself in piety and diligence
What early foreign novels influenced Jose Rizal and what was a key impact of at least one of them?
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, recalling the injustice against his mother, and Travels in the Philippines by Feodor Jagor were early influential books for Jose Rizal.
Who was Fr. Francisco Paula de Sanchez and what subjects did he teach Rizal?
Fr. Francisco Paula de Sanchez was Rizal’s professor in his 4th year of studies at Ateneo de Municipal. He taught Rizal mathematics, rhetoric, and Greek.
Who guided Rizal in drawing and painting at the Ateneo?
The Ateneo professor, the Peninsular Don Agustin Saez
Who was Rizal’s instructor in sculpture at the Ateneo?
A Filipino, Romualdo de Jesus
What were some of Rizal’s literary works while studying at Ateneo?
Some of Rizal’s pro-Spanish poems included;
1. Felicitación
2. El Embarque: Himno a la Flota de Magallanes (The Departure: Hymn to Magellan’s Fleet)
3. Y Es Español: Elcano, El Primero en dar la Vuelta al Mundo (And He is Spanish: Elcano, the first to circumnavigate the World)
4. El Combate: Urbiztondo, Terror de Jolo
5. Por La Educación Recibe Lustre La Patria (Education Gives Luster to Motherland),
6. Alianza Íntima Entre la Religión y La Buena Education (Education Gives Luster to Motherland), and
7. In Memory of My Town
Who was Segunda Katigbak
Segunda Katigbak was a Lipa girl from a wealthy clan who was sent to La Concordia College and had a close friendship with Olimpia. Rizal had a friendship with her relative, Mariano Katigbak
How old were Rizal and Segunda Katigbak when they met?
Segunda was 14 years old when she met Pepe, who was 16 at the time
What was the outcome of Rizal’s feelings for Segunda Katigbak?
Pepe was aware that Segunda had been promised to marry Manuel Luz Y Metre
When did Rizal enroll in the University of Santo Tomas (UST) and what did he initially study?
Rizal enrolled in UST in April 1877, when he was nearly 16 years old, to study Philosophy and Letters
Why did Rizal initially choose to study Philosophy and Letters?
He enrolled in this course because his father liked it and he was still “unsure of what career to pursue”
What did Rizal later study at UST?
Rizal began studying medicine in the following school year (1878-1879), enrolling in both the preparatory medical course and the regular 1st year medical course. He also enrolled in the Ateneo vocational course – perito agrimensor (expert in Land Surveyor)
What were Rizal’s reasons for pursuing medicine?
He pursued medicine because he desired to be a physician in order to cure his mother’s failing eyesight, and because Father Pablo Ramon recommended medicine
Who was Miss L?
Miss L was a young woman in Calamba whom Rizal courted shortly after his feelings for Segunda Katigbak ended. He described her as “fair with seductive and attractive eyes” but abruptly ceased his wooing
Who was Leonor Rivera?
Leonor Rivera was Rizal’s cousin in Camiling, Tarlac. They planned to get married, and she signed her letters to him as “Taimis” to keep their relationship hidden
What incident of Spanish brutality did Rizal experience as a student?
During a summer vacation in Calamba in 1878, Rizal was slashed on the back by a lieutenant of the Guardia Civil for not saluting him in the dark. His complaint to the governor general yielded no results because he was an Indio and the officer was Spanish
What was Rizal’s award-winning poem in the literary contest of the Artistic-Literary Lyceum of Manila in 1879?
Rizal’s award-winning poem was A La Juventud Filipina (To the Filipino Youth)
Why is “A La Juventud Filipina” considered a classic in Philippine literature?
It is considered a classic because it was the first great poem in Spanish written by a Filipino that was recognized by Spanish literary authorities, and it expressed for the first time the nationalistic concept that the Filipino, and not foreigners, was the fair hope of the fatherland
What was “The Council of the Gods”?
The Council of the Gods was an allegorical drama written by Rizal based on the Greek classics, which won him a prize (a gold ring with Cervantes’ bust) in the literary contest of the Artistic Literary Lyceum in 1880
What was “Junto al Pasig”?
Junto al Pasig was a zarzuela written by Rizal and staged by the Ateneans on December 8, 1880
What did Rizal do to champion Filipino students?
In 1880, Rizal founded a secret society of Filipino students called Companerismo (Companionship), also known as Companions of Jehu, and he became its chief
Why was Rizal unhappy at the University of Santo Tomas?
Rizal was unhappy at UST because the Dominican professors were hostile to him, Filipino students were racially discriminated against by the Spaniards, the method of instruction was obsolete and repressive, and he did not receive high scholastic honors due to his professors’ attitudes.
