19th Century

• Nueva Vizcaya Revolt (1805)
• Ambaristo Revolt (1807)
• May 1808

  French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte installed his brother Joseph Bonaparte as King of Spain.
• January 22, 1809

  King Joseph Bonaparte gave Filipinos Spanish Citizenship and granted the colony representation in the Spanish Cortes.
• June 18, 1815

  Napoleon was defeated in Waterloo.
• October 15, 1815

  Napoleon was exiled in St. Helena's Island.
• Year 1838

  Florante at Laura published by Francisco Balagtas. He earned to write poetry from José de la Cruz (Huseng Sisiw), one of the most famous poets of Tondo. His other literary pieces included "Orosmán at Zafira," a comedy in four parts, "Don Nuño at Selinda, Auredato at Astrome," three-part comedy "Clara Belmore, Bayaceto at Dorslica," "Abdol at Misereanan," a comedy staged by Abucay in 1857, "Alamansor at Rosalinda," a comedy staged at Udyong during the town's feast, "La india elegante y el negrito amante," a short play in one part and "Nudo gordeano."
• Year 1843

  Seminario Filipino, the first religious magazine in the country, was first issued.
• June 19, 1861

  Jose Rizal, the Philippines' National Hero, was born.
• Year 1861

  Escuela de Artes Y Oficios de Bacolor was Asia's oldest vocational school.
• Year 1865

  The University of Santo Tomas was made the center for public instruction throughout the Philippines by the royal decree of Queen Isabella II of Spain.
• Year 1865

  Observatorio Meteorológico del Ateneo Municipal de Manila (Manila Observatory) established by the Jesuits.
• November 17, 1869

  Suez Canal opened, connecting the Nile River in Egypt and the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea. The first canal in the area was constructed between the Nile River delta and the Red Sea in the 13th Century B.C.
• Year 1869


  Colegio de Santa Isabel inaugurated as the first Normal School in Southeast Asia.
• February 17, 1872

  The Spaniards executed priests Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos, and Jacinto Zamora (Gomburza) on subversion charges. The three Filipino priests were allegedly involved in the uprising of workers at the Cavite Naval Yard.
• March 3, 1882

  Jose Rizal left for Spain to continue his medical studies.
• June 2, 1882

  Jose Rizal began writing the Noli Me Tangere (novel).
• Year 1884

  The required forced labor of 40 days a year was reduced to 15 days by the Spanish Colonial Government.
• June 21, 1884


  Rizal finished his medical studies in Spain.
• Year 1885

  Pedro Paterno wrote Ninay, the first novel written by a native Filipino. Five years ago, in 1880, he published in Madrid the first Filipino collection of poems in Spanish, Sampaguitas y otras poesías varias (Jasmines and Other Poems).
• May 29, 1887

  Noli Me Tangere published.
• October 1887

  Rizal began writing El Filibusterismo.
• December 10, 1888

  La Solidaridad was established. Headed by José Rizal's cousin, Galicano Apacible, the organization also issued a newspaper published in Barcelona on February 15, 1889. It was edited by Graciano López Jaena and later on by Marcelo H. del Pilar. The newspaper published articles and essays about the country's economic, cultural, political, and social conditions and local and foreign news and speeches of prominent Spanish leaders about the Philippines.
• March 28, 1891

  Rizal finished writing El Filibusterismo in Biarritz, France.
• Year 1891

  El Filibusterismo published in Ghent, Belgium.
• June 26, 1892

  Rizal arrived in the Philippines from Europe via Hong Kong.
• July 3, 1892

  Rizal formed La Liga Filipina.
• July 7, 1892

  Rizal was arrested for establishing La Liga Filipina.
• July 17, 1892

  Rizal was exiled to Dapitan.
• July 8, 1894

  Bonifacio formed the Katipunan.
• July 1, 1896

  Rizal was recruited as a physician for the Spanish Army in Cuba by Governor Ramon Blanco,
• August 6, 1896

  Rizal returned to Manila from Cuba.
• August 19, 1896

  Tracked down by the Spanish Colonial Government, the Katipuneros fled to Balintawak.
• August 23, 1896

  Bonifacio proclaimed revolution at the Cry of Balintawak. Katipuneros teared up their cedulas.
• August 30, 1896


  Revolutionary Battle at San Juan del Monte. Governor Ramon Blanco proclaimed a state of war in Manila, Laguna, Cavite, Batangas, Pampanga, Bulacan, Tarlac and Nueva Ecija.
• September 2, 1896

  Rizal boarded the ship Isla de Panay for Barcelona.
• October 3, 1896

  Rizal arrived in Barcelona.
• October 4, 1896

  Rizal was imprisoned in Montjuich by order of Capt. Gen. Despujo.
• October 6, 1896

  Rizal returned to Manila as a prisoner.
• October 31, 1896

  A new group of the Katipunan was formed in Cavite headed by Emilio Aguinaldo.