Tagalog literature; a historico-critical study.

REVOLUTIONARY ERA 79

The French Revolution was the mother of the Philippine Revolution of 1896. The French motto "Liberty, Equality and Fraternity" became the guide of our revolutionists. The series of
revolutions and disorders in Spain had no mean effects on the
conditions here. Expulsion of the friars or at least complete
secularization of the parishes in favor of the natives, became an
important issue. This found expression in Padre Jose Burgos'
Memorandum sent to Spain in 1864, in Rizal's La Liga Filipina,
in the numerous pamphlets printed by the natives, and in the
Pact of Biacnabato. The Cavite Revolt of 1872 and the subsequent execution of the suspected rebels and mutineers, including
Fathers Jose Burgos, Gomez and Zamora greatly stimulated the
rising tide of Filipino nationalism, and encouraged reform propaganda here and in Spain. By refusing to unfrock these three
native priests, the church threw some doubt on their guilt, and
thus it threw the Filipinos in the paroxysms of fears engendered
by hatred. Secret societies were formed. Masonry found its
way here. Rizal founded La Liga Filipiha containing six cardinal aims. A Tagalog newspaper was founded here, ai fortnightly periodical, La Solidaridad, was published by the Filipino propagandists and reformers in Spain. Books, novels,
pamphlets, among which were Rizal's Noli Me Tangere, El Filibusterismo, del Pilar's La Soberania Monacal, La Frailocracia
Filipina and Los Frailes en Filipinas, and Lopez Jaena's Fray
Balod were published.
The Katipunan founded by Andres Bonifacio in 1892, the
year Rizal was exiled to Dapitan, began the revolt against the
Spanish rule on August 24, 1896. This revolt known as the
Philippine Revolution had three phases: The Filipino-Spanish
War, the Filipino-American-Spanish War, and the Filipi'no-American War. On December 30, 1896 Dr. Jose Rizal, "the foremost
man of the Malayan race" was executed by the Spanish government on the ground of sedition and rebellion. The Treaty of
Paris (1) signed on Dec. 10, 1898 by the plenipotenciaries of
Spaih and the United States sealed the hope of the Filipinos in
acquiring independence for which they so valiantly fougth for.
Spain ceded the Philippines to the United States. The Filipinos, therefore, struggled on desperately for their independ(1) The Filipino envoy to Paris was not heeded, nor even recognized.
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