Jose Rizal Persuasive

Rizal’s Visit to the United States (1888)
“I visited the cities of America, with their grandiose edifices, their electric lights, and their great conceptions. America is, undoubtedly a great country, but has many defects.” Jose Rizal

Arrival in San Francisco

The steamer, Belgic April 1888 28, 2 agencies that certified Belgic is free from cholera epidemic

 The America consul of Japan
The British government of Hongkong

The ship was carrying

643 Chinese coolies

700 bolts of silks

After a week Rizal together with other first class passengers were permitted to land. But the Japanese and the Chinese and passengers belonging to the second and thirds class remained aboard.

Rizal in San francisco
On Friday afternoon, May 4, 1888,
Rizal stayed in Palace Hotel in San
Francisco

Palace Hotel (San Francisco)

Where Rizal Stayed for 2 days

Leland Stanford
Leland Stanford – the founder and benefactor of the Stanford University was then a senator representing California.

Grover Cleveland

Grover Cleveland was the president when Rizal visited the United States

Across the American Continent
George
Washington – one of the great men of new York whom visited his memorial. The 1st president of the US.

Oak land

Oakland – first stop via ferryboat

Via Train May 7, 1888
– Sacramento – where he ate his supper 75cents and slept at his couch.
– Reno, Nevada – where he had his breakfast
– Utah – where he saw Mormons, thickly populated
– Colorado – a lot of snow and pine trees

– Nebraska – Omaha City, as big as San Francisco
– Missouri River – twice as big as Pasig River
– Chicago – a lot of Indians in cigar stores
– Albany – where he saw the Hudson River

New York – which he considers a big city

Where Rizal stayed for three days

 He left the United States for Liverpool, London on board the City of Rome, the second largest ship in the world.
 Great Eastern – largest ship in the world during his time.

Rizal impression on America (Good)
Material progress of the country as shown in its cities, farms, and industries
The drive and energy of the Americans
The natural beauty of the land
The high standard of living
The opportunities for better life offered to poor immigrants.

Rizal impression on America (Bad)
Non-existence of true civil liberty, as Negro cannot marry an American and vice versa.
The existence of racial prejudice as shown in their hatred of the
Chinese, Japanese and Negroes.
The valuing of money over human life
Lack of racial equality

AMERICA FOR RIZAL
The land par excellence of freedom but only for the whites. Rizal said this to Jose Alejandrino, an engineering student form Belgium