Important Dates and Events

● June 26, 1892: Rizal returns to Manila after almost five years abroad. He sought a
personal audience with Governor-General Despujol to discuss his colonization
project in British North Borneo and to establish La Liga Filipina.
● July 3, 1892: La Liga Filipina is founded by Rizal to promote unity and reforms
in the Philippines. Its objectives include mutual protection, defense against
violence and injustice, and encouragement of education and commerce.
● July 7, 1892: Rizal is arrested after being accused of possessing "subversive"
materials, specifically leaflets titled Pobres Frailes, found in his sister Lucia’s
luggage. He is taken to Fort Santiago.
● July 17, 1892: Rizal arrives in Dapitan for his exile, which lasts four years. He
engages in community projects and improves the town’s water system.
● September 21, 1892: Rizal wins a share in the Manila lottery, using his earnings
to fund community projects and support his family.
● July 31, 1896: Rizal leaves Dapitan to serve as a military doctor in Cuba, a plan
recommended by his friend, Ferdinand Blumentritt.
● August 26, 1896: The Philippine Revolution begins with the Cry of Balintawak.
● October 6, 1896: Rizal is arrested on his way to Spain and brought back to the
Philippines to face trial.
● December 26, 1896: Rizal’s court-martial begins in Cuartel de España, where he
is sentenced to death for rebellion.
● December 30, 1896: Rizal is executed at Bagumbayan (now Luneta Park) at 7:03
AM, facing the firing squad.
Key People

● Governor-General Ramon Blanco: Allowed Rizal to volunteer as a military

doctor for Cuba.
● Governor-General Polavieja: Approved Rizal's execution following his trial.
● Antonio de Morga: Author of Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas, a work Rizal
annotated to showcase the pre-colonial achievements of Filipinos.
● Father Florentino: A character in El Filibusterismo who plays a key role in
Simoun’s final confession.
● Blumentritt: A close friend of Rizal, who wrote the prologue for Rizal’s
annotated edition of Morga’s Sucesos.
● Simoun: The main character in El Filibusterismo, revealed to be the same person
as Crisostomo Ibarra from Noli Me Tangere.
● Governor-General Ramon Despujol: Arrested Rizal after finding the
controversial leaflets in his sister’s belongings.
● Captain Ricardo Carnicero: The Spanish commander of Dapitan, who became
Rizal’s friend during his exile.

Key Organizations and Concepts

● La Liga Filipina (July 3, 1892): A reformist society founded by Rizal aiming to

unite Filipinos and promote peaceful reforms, mutual protection, and education. It
was short-lived after Rizal’s arrest, but its ideas later inspired the revolutionary
movement.
● Pobres Frailes: A satirical pamphlet found in Rizal’s sister’s luggage, criticizing
the wealth accumulated by Dominican friars, which led to Rizal’s arrest.
● Dapitan Exile (1892-1896): During his exile, Rizal improved local infrastructure,
opened a school, and continued his scientific and artistic endeavors. His exile in
Dapitan is often seen as a key turning point in his life.
Key Works by Rizal

● Noli Me Tangere (1887): A novel addressing the social and political injustices
under Spanish rule, focusing on issues like corruption, land abuse, and the clergy’s
oppression. Rizal dedicated the novel to the Philippines and its fight for justice.
● El Filibusterismo (1891): A more revolutionary sequel to Noli Me Tangere,
dealing with themes of revenge, oppression, and revolution. It’s dedicated to the
martyred Gomburza priests and shows Rizal’s shift in focus from reform to
revolution.
● Annotations of Antonio Morga’s Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas (1890): Rizal
annotated Morga’s work to highlight the advanced civilization of Filipinos before
Spanish colonization, aiming to correct Spanish historical narratives that portrayed
Filipinos as backward

Key Characters in Noli Me Tangere

1. Crisostomo Ibarra – The main protagonist who returns to the Philippines after studying in
Europe, advocating for reforms.
2. Maria Clara – Ibarra's love interest and the embodiment of the ideal Filipina, later revealed to be
Father Damaso's daughter.
3. Father Damaso – A corrupt friar and Maria Clara’s biological father, a symbol of abusive
colonial religious authority.
4. Elias – A revolutionary who helps Ibarra but dies at the end, sacrificing himself for Ibarra’s
escape.
5. Sisa – A poor woman whose tragic story symbolizes the suffering of the lower classes under
Spanish rule.
6. Basilio – Sisa’s son, who later becomes a medical student in El Filibusterismo.
7. Father Salvi – A scheming friar who lusts after Maria Clara and represents the oppressive clergy.
8. Captain Tiago – Maria Clara’s adoptive father, a wealthy Filipino who benefits from Spanish
favor.
9. Doña Victorina – A Filipina who despises her own culture and pretends to be Spanish, married
to the fake doctor Tiburcio.
10. Pilosopo Tasio – The town philosopher, a symbol of reason and wisdom, who provides guidance
to Ibarra.
Key Characters in El Filibusterismo

1. Simoun – The alter ego of Crisostomo Ibarra, now a wealthy jeweler planning a revolution
against the Spanish regime.
2. Basilio – Sisa’s son, now a medical student who becomes involved with Simoun’s revolutionary
plans.
3. Isagani – A poet and idealist, the lover of Paulita Gomez, who eventually foils Simoun's
assassination plot.
4. Paulita Gomez – Isagani’s love interest, who later marries Juanito Pelaez.
5. Father Florentino – A patriotic priest who helps Simoun in his final moments, representing
Filipino nationalism.
6. Father Camorra – A lustful friar, involved in many immoral activities.
7. Father Irene – A priest sympathetic to Filipino students and reforms, but still aligned with the
Spanish.
8. Ben Zayb – A Spanish journalist who spreads propaganda against the Filipinos.
9. Quiroga – A Chinese businessman who helps Simoun smuggle arms for the revolution.
10. Don Custodio – A pro-Spanish Filipino holding a high government position, opposed to reforms.

Additional Characters That Might Appear

● Tiburcio de Espadaña (Noli Me Tangere): The fraudulent Spanish doctor and husband of Doña
Victorina.
● Padre Sibyla (El Filibusterismo): The Vice-Rector of the University of Santo Tomas,
conservative and anti-reform.
● Juanito Pelaez (El Filibusterismo): The arrogant and opportunistic student who marries Paulita
Gomez.
● Placido Penitente (El Filibusterismo): A student frustrated with the oppressive educational
system, representing the disillusionment of Filipino youth.