MIDTERM: SPANISH ERA OF THE PHILIPPINE REVOLUTION

Question 1

What caused the sudden desire of Spain to make the Philippines a more productive colony in the 19th century?

Answer 1

• there was a great disruption of colonial politics
• civil wars rose over the argument on who should have the Spanish throne (Queen Isabela vs. Uncle Carlos)
• Spain lost most of its colonies (PH, Puerto Rico, and Cuba were the only ones left)

Question 2

What are the Reforms imposed by Spain to make the Philippines more productive?

Answer 2

1. Opening of Manila to World Trade
   - before this, the galleon trade (monopolistic) was the only prominent trade system from Manila-Acapulco
2. Creation of new Infrastructures
   - required Spain to build infrastructures like the Philippine National Railway (Manila to Dagupan)
3. Urbanization and opening of new businesses
   - urbanization of suburbs outside of intramuros
   - Hotel de Oriente = first hotel
4. Reforms in key institutions like education and public health
   - Ateneo, Letran, UST (UST was the only college, the other 2 were secondary schools)
5. Emergence of a new highly educated and urban middle-class
   - development of institutions resulted in the population of illustrados–well educated individuals and the emergence of a middle-class

Question 3

What was the biggest issue in the Philippines during the 19th century?

Answer 3

Secularization of the church

Question 4

Secularization of the Catholic Church

Answer 4

• the process of transferring the leadership and management of parishes from Spanish priests (friars) to native priests
• originally the only goal of Friars is to convert non-Christians + only Spanish people were allowed to join the friar order

GOAL:
- greater rights for native Filipino Roman Catholic clergymen.
- transfer the functions of Friars to the native secular priests

SPAIN’S OPPOSITION:
- Friars were allowed to lead the churches because they became the eye of the colonial government
- Spain planned to control the principales through the friars
- Because of the friar’s important political goal in the PH, the governor-general said no to the order and kept the regular priests in the parishes

Question 5

Pedro Pelaez

Answer 5

• Believed that the problem was within the parish
• Head of the secularization movement
  Died because of an earthquake
• Was replaced by Jose Burgos

Question 6

Jose Burgos

Answer 6

• Argued that there is a problem with the colony itself and not the parish because secular priests are not allowed to hold power because they are Filipino
• Spanish believed Filipinos have a low capacity to lead so secular priests should not be able to lead parishes

Question 7

Cavite Mutiny

Answer 7

• January 20 1872
• Soldiers in Cavite mutinied against their superiors

Filipinos Reason:
- Soldiers weren’t being taken care of, they were not being paid well, and their privileges were taken away

Spanish Narrative:
- claimed that the mutiny was masterminded by Burgos and was a plan to revolt against Spain and oust the Spaniards out of PH and make Burgos King
- Spain used this as a reason to imprison and execute Burgos and end the secularization movement

Question 8

Propaganda Movement: How it started

Answer 8

• 1872 to 1892
• The execution of Gomburza in 1872 convinced the ilustrados that change within the colonial government is impossible because the friars have a large influence on the governor-general
• They need to ask for reforms from Spain itself, thus: many illustrados went to Spain and advocated for the secularization and rights of the Filipinos

Key Players of the Propaganda Movement:
- Jose Rizal
- Marcelo Del Pilar
- Garciano Lopez

Question 9

Propaganda Movement: Goals

Answer 9

1. Recognition of the Philippines as a province of Spain
   - Filipinos considered citizens and to be protected under the Spanish constitution
2. Representation of the Philippines in the Cortes Generales, and the Spanish parliament
3. Secularization of Philippine parishes
4. Legalization of Spanish and Filipino equality
   Creation of a public school system separate from the friars
5. Abolition of the polo system (forced labor) and vandala (forced sale at a low price)
6. Guaranteed basic freedoms of speech and association
7. Equal opportunities for Filipinos and Spanish to enter government services

Question 10

Spain’s view on Philippine History

Answer 10

• bipartite point of view
• Convinced the Filipinos that they should have “utang na loob”

PRE-COLONIAL
- Spaniards describe the pre-colonial period as a time of DARKNESS because the light of “civilization” has not yet arrived in the archipelago.

COLONIAL
- Spaniards describe the colonial period as a time of ENLIGHTENMENT as they argued that they brought “civilization” and Christianity to the archipelago and saved the Philippines from eternal doom.

Question 11

Illustrados’ View on Philippine History

Answer 11

• tripartite point of view

PRE-COLONIAL
- For the illustrados, the pre-colonial period is a time of freedom where early Filipinos trade with their neighbors in East and Southeast Asia.
- Pre-colonial was a period of ENLIGHTENMENT
They were a productive population–trading with their neighbors in east and southeast Asia

• They wanted to progress more so during the colonial period, they went into a social contract with the Spanish

COLONIAL
- Colonial period was a period of DARKNESS
- The Spaniards did not follow the contract (filipinos were abused)
- Instead of helping the Filipinos progress, the progress stopped and Filipinos were marginalized
- The contract will be null and void
- Spaniards cannot keep the colonization and the Filipinos have the right to take back their freedom and once again get back to enlightenment

POSTCOLONIAL
- ENLIGHTENMENT
- A period when the Philippines is no longer a colony of Spain. Abuses of the colonial government and friar orders will be kept in check as Filipinos will now acquire the same rights and privileges as the Spaniards.

Question 12

Pact of Legaspi and Sikatuna

Answer 12

• Promise of progress and protection in exchange for surrendering our freedom to Spain
• Spain did not follow the agreements

Question 13

MARCELO DEL PILAR: View on Philippine History

Answer 13

PRE-COLONIAL: Filipinos have an inferior civilization. Blood compact was made in order for mother Spain to civilize and Christianize “daughter” Filipinas.

COLONIAL: Encomenderos was first charged with a civilizing mission. Then friars, who established frailo-cracia and hampered progress, which is inevitable (Suez Canal)

POST-COLONIAL: Friars must go, Revolution has the advantage of being surgical. But liberal reform is better. Integration of autonomous Filipinas with Spain.
- preferred reform but when before he died, he said he preferred the revolution

Question 14

LOPEZ JAENA: View on Philippine History

Answer 14

PRE-COLONIAL: Ambivalent view. One moment Filipinas were thought to be in a “primitive state”. Then as having “a civilization, a degree of enlightenment.

COLONIAL: Filipino capacity for progress impeded by “monastic supremacy”. Progress due to Filipinos alone and external forces.

POST-COLONIAL: Elimination of friar rule. At first assimilationist, Jaena later favored Revolution, freedom won “with the blood of Filipinos”

• there is a greater enlightenment

Question 15

JOSE RIZAL: View on Philippine History

Answer 15

PRE-COLONIAL: Filipinas had a civilization of their own and were progressing, armed with their own capacities and virtues.

COLONIAL: Decay and retrogression under Spanish rule. Civic virtue lost. Vices took over. Social cancer in the late 19th century.

POST-COLONIAL: Release of creative forces of the race with the attainment of freedom. Probably through Revolution. Tactically, through reforms.

• The Filipinos forgot their own culture and tradition
• Sickness of the Philippines is colonialism

Solution: nationalism – filipinos to remember their own culture and tradition

Question 16

La Liga Filipina

Answer 16

• They didn’t know if this group was a reform group or a revolutionary group
• Split into two factions

APOLINARIO MABINI - Reform Movement and support propaganda movement in Spain
ANDRES BONIFIACIO - Revolutionary Movement

Question 17

Who were the supremos of Katipunan?

Answer 17

First Supremo of Katipunan = Deodato Arellano (they didn’t progress under his leadership)

Second Supremo of Katipunan = Roman Basa (too many financial issues)

Third Supremo of Katipunan = Andres Bonifacio

Question 18

Balintawak or Pugad Lawin

Answer 18

• Bonifacio and his comrades met and shouted for freedom
• Cry ignited/opened the road toward the philippine revolution

Question 19

Philippine Revolution: Phase 1

Answer 19

• Spain’s discovery of the Katipunan forced Filipinos to unite in a revolution

HAPPENINGS:
- Planned an attack in Manila but the such attack did not happen. Bonifacio attacked in San Juan instead
- Bonifacio lost in Manila and retreated to Marikina and then retreated to San Matteo while the urban katipuneros were losing, the katipuneros in Cavite were winning

Question 20

Urban Middle Class vs Rural Elites

Answer 20

• Revolution suggests factionalism between rural and urban middle class

Urban Middle Class (Andres Bonifacio)
- A group that emerged because of the economic reforms in 19th century.
- Economic power came from being employed in local and international companies.
- Has a strong liberal and internationalist outlook.
- Most are ilustrados or semi-ilutrados.

Rural Elites or Principales (Emilio Aguinaldo)
- Local leaders that have a strong influence, especially in rural areas.
- Economic power is tied to political power and land ownership.
- While educated, politics is mostly shaped by local experience.
- Political power is threatened by the economic reforms of the 19th century.

Question 21

Tejeros Convention

Answer 21

• in order to resolve the brewing conflict of leadership between the Katipunan (a conflict between classes not the masses), they conducted the tejeros convention
• Created a new revolutionary government through an election and because all of the people who voted were Cavitenos, they obviously voted for Aguinaldo over Bonifacio
• Bonifacio was running for every single position available in the cabinet but ended up losing to all Cavitenos. He got mad and announced the tejeros convention NULL AND VOID and made his own government
• Aguinaldo ordered the arrest of Bonifacio and was executed in 1897
  -The death of Bonifacio signaled the change of leadership of the Katipunan from the urban middle class to the rural peninsulares

Question 22

Rebound of Spain

Answer 22

• While the Katipuneros were resolving their leadership issues, Spaniards increased their forces in the Philippines
• Fernando Primo de Rivera launched an offensive to recapture Cavite.
• With the Katipuneros in disarray, Emilio Aguinaldo and the other Katipunan leaders retreated to Montalban and they regrouped in Biak na Bato, Bulacan
• Other areas were struggling and established provisional governments allied to Aguinaldo
  EX. Federal States of Visayas

Question 23

Pact ng Biak na Bato

Answer 23

• Eager to end the Revolution, Primo De Tavera tasked Pedro Paterno to mediate between the Filipino and Spanish forces in Biak na Bato

GOAL:
to rebuild the trust between the Spanish and Filipinos

AGREEMENT:
Revolutionists will surrender in exchange for reforms and amnesties

Question 24

Major Provisions of Pact ng Biak na Bato

Answer 24

1. Implementation of reforms and reduction of taxes and ending the polo y servicio.
   - promised to increase government representation, reduce tributo, and issue freedom of the press and secularization of the church
2. Revolutionary leaders will be exiled to Hong Kong. The nephew of the Governor-General will join the revolutionaries.
   - Aguinaldo and other key members of the revolutionary government were exiled with the nephew as collateral
3. Revolutionary leaders will receive a total of 800,000 Mexican Dollars to be paid in three installments.
   - 400k when they leave for HK
   - 200K when 800 revolutionary arms are surrendered
   - 200k when 1000 arms are surrendered
4. Amnesty for all revolutionaries who surrender their arms to the Spanish government. A total of 900,000 Mexican Dollars (later reduced to 800,000) will be distributed to the revolutionaries that remain in the Philippines.

After they departed to HK and the Spanish started confiscating arms, Fernando Primo de Tavera declared the end of the Revolution–but it was just entering the second phase.

Question 25

Hong Kong Junta

Answer 25

• Aguinaldo and the Filipinos exiled after the Cavite mutiny formed a Junta that served as a revolutionary government in exile
• Planned to use the reparation payments from Spain to buy arms and ammo from japan (in case Spain fails to implement promised reforms)

Question 26

Revocation of the Pact ng Biak na Bato

Answer 26

• Although the Pact ng Biak na Bato was made as a truce between the Spanish government and the Filipino revolutionaries (to mend the relationship), they still continued to have mutual distrust for one another.
• The Pact ng Biak na Bato was a failure from the start (it was never going to reach its goal)
• Once the Spanish Government got word of the Junta’s plans, they halted the payments of the 800,000 Mexican dollars promised (PH was then underpaid)
• The others didn’t surrender their weapon but simply buried them so Spain didn’t really believe PH
• The halt of funds agitated the Junta and they reputed the Pact ng Biak na Bato

Question 27

Spanish-American War: Spanish Promises

Answer 27

1. To implement socio-economic reforms in the Philippines
2. To give the Filipinos greater participation in the government (both local and colonial governance)
3. To recognize Aguinaldo’s status as a general and military leader

Compared to the US, Spaniards were willing to put the promise into writing.

There was no trust between PH and Spain, PH thought that Spain would not fulfill the promised reforms while Spain thought that Filipinos would revolt.

Question 28

Spanish-American War: American Promises

Answer 28

1. To bring Aguinaldo back to the Philippines.
2. To help arm the revolutionaries
3. To provide some recognition to Aguinaldo’s government.

All of their promises were not put into writing

Aguinaldo chose the American offer.
- PH saw the US as a potential ally to fight Spain.
- This is because Spain has a bad record to PH when it comes to keeping promises. No guarantee that despite having a contract, Spain will fulfill the promises of reforms.

BIG RISK: the American offer was shady/skeptical since they refused to put it into writing = PH feared that it would not be fulfilled (no writing means not binding) + Americans stayed on the PH shore with unclear motives.

Question 29

Philippine Revolution: Phase 2

Answer 29

• Spaniards will surrender to the US and not to PH (Mock Battle).
• Spain sold the Philippines to the US in the Treaty of Paris
• PH declared independence in Kawit, Cavite and not in Manila which was the capital city of the Philippines because Manila was never captured back (PH overall was not under our control).
• established the first philippine republic in hopes of exercising sovereignity

Question 30

Declaration of Independence

Answer 30

Goal:
To gather international recognition

Primary Signee: Ambrosio Rianzares Bautista

• The document explained the agreement between PH and Spain and then enumerated all Spanish atrocities
• Legal Justification for PH Revolution (Social/Blood Contract was violated) and to prove that PH independence is legitimate and legal.
• This is contradicting because we justified in the document why PH revolted against Spain (abuse by Civil Guards, Friars, Gomburza Killing) but we want to be under another country’s protection (the US)

Question 31

How Revolutionary was the PH Revolution? - Teodoro Agoncillo

Answer 31

• The Philippine Revolution, which has a proletariat orientation, was betrayed when the Ilustrados took over the Malolos Republic.
• Ilustrados wanted to engage with foreign powers rather than its own people.

Proletariat Bonifacio&raquo_space;> Elite Aguinaldo = Betrayal

Two Phases of the Revolution:
1. (led by the masses) Bonifacio starting the revolution&raquo_space;> Aguinaldo surrendering the government
2. (led by the illustrados) Aguinaldo will return to PH in order to renew the revolution

Question 32

How Revolutionary was the PH Revolution? - Vicente Rafael

Answer 32

1. The composition of the revolution was not plebian nor proletariat.
2. The Katipunan is liberal in orientation (in opposition to what Ileto argued).
3. Because the Katipunan is primarily “middle class” its goal is merely unifying the Philippines to overthrow Spain. No plan beyond this.
4. The goal of the revolution is “unity” and “homogeneity”. The goal was regime change rather than social change.
   - oppression still existed, the social structure was still the same.
5. The Bonifacio-Aguinaldo conflict was an intra-class conflict rather than an inter-class conflict.
6. Inter-class conflict only emerged after independence. The masses however have a more radical vision of the postcolonial Philippines.
7. The Malolos Republic failed to adhere to the demands of the peasantry. Peasant armies fought the Republic.
   - False Political Equality (the peasantry have a different end in mind than the middle class) = Peasantries following the ideals of the Katipunan waged war
8. There is no break between the Katipunan and Malolos Republic as Agoncillo claimed.

Question 33

Goal of the Revolution: Vicent Rafael

Answer 33

• was for either the urban/rural middle class to have power/control over the country.

URBAN:
- gain power
- wishes to move up the social ladder but the colonial government and colonialism blocked their upward social mobility
- reforms allowed them to move up the social ladder

RURAL:
- prevent power loss
- wanted to keep their status in society
- due to the reforms, the principales moved down the social ladder as key positions once held by the principalia are now governed by Spaniards (reforms weakened their control over rural areas).