Rizal's Decision to Study Abroad

Study Notes

Rizal left for Spain on May 3, 1882, to study at the Central Universidad de Madrid.
He earned a Licentiate in Medicine on June 21, 1884, at age 23 and graduated in Philosophy and Letters with an "excellent" grade on June 19, 1885, at age 24.

Rizal aimed for political and social reforms and educated fellow Filipinos by publishing nationalistic works in Europe.
He mastered 22 languages, including Arabic, English, French, and Tagalog.
His first major work, "NOLI ME TANGERE," was published in Berlin in March 1887, critiquing Spanish clergy's arrogance.
In 1890, he reprinted Morga’s "SUCCESSOS DE LAS ISLAS FILIPINAS" in Paris with annotations highlighting Filipino civilization pre-Spanish colonization.
"EL FILIBUSTERISMO," a sequel to "NOLI," was published on September 18, 1891, in Ghent and is more revolutionary in tone.

Rizal was imprisoned in Fort Santiago for a brief period in July 1892 due to false charges related to anti-friar pamphlets found with his sister.
He was exiled in Dapitan, where he engaged in various professional and educational activities.

Rizal won a lottery and invested in agriculture, fishing, and a hospital.
He taught English and Spanish, sculpture, and vocational courses to students in his home, which served as an educational center.
Noteworthy projects included the construction of a water dam and a relief map of Mindanao, showcasing his engineering skills.

Rizal returned to the Philippines on November 3, 1896, just before the outbreak of the Philippine Revolution on August 26, 1896.
Despite the fabricated charges against him, he was given the opportunity to defend himself during a preliminary investigation.
He wrote "Mi Ultimo Adios," expressing his love for the country, in his prison cell.
Convicted of rebellion and sedition, he was executed on December 30, 1896, at Bagumbayan Field, at the age of 35.