“I visited the cities of America, with their

grandiose edifices, their electric lights,

and their great conceptions. America is,
undoubtedly a great country, but she has
many defects.”
------Jose Rizal
 RIZAL IN AMERICA
• Rizal first saw America on April 28, 1888

• His arrival in this great country was marred by

racial prejudice, for he saw the discriminatory
treatment of the Chinese passengers by the
American authorities

• He kept notes on what he observed

ARRIVAL IN SAN FRANCISCO
• Rizal was surprised because there is no outbreak of
disease in the Far East, thus he joined other passengers in
the protest.

• Two agencies certified that Belgic is free from cholera

epidemic
 American consul in Japan
 British Governor of Hongkong

• Rizal discovered that the placing of the ship under

quarantine was motivated by politics

• 643 Chinese coolies were in the ship

- the coolies from China were displacing white laborers in
railroad construction camp.
 ARRIVAL IN SAN FRANCISCO
• Via steamer Belgic, Rizal arrived in San
Francisco, USA on Saturday morning, April 28,
1888.

• American health authorities placed the ship

under quarantine on the ground that it came
from Far East where a cholera epidemic was
alleged to be raging.

• All passengers were not allowed to land.

 ARRIVAL IN SAN FRANCISCO

• Rizal noticed that:

 700 bales of Chinese silk were unloaded without

fumigation
 The ship doctor went ashore without protest on the part
of the health officers
 Custom employees ate several times on board

ALL WERE CONTRARY TO QUARANTINE REGULATIONS

ARRIVAL IN SAN FRANCISCO

• After a week of quarantine, Rizal and all other first-class

passengers were permitted to land

• The Japanese, the Chinese and the passengers belonging

to the second and third- class accommodations were
forced to remain on board
RIZAL IN SAN FRANCISCO
• May 4, 1888 (the day he was permitted to go ashore)

• Rizal registered at the Palace Hotel, which was then

considered as a first class hotel in he city.
RIZAL IN SAN FRANCISCO
• Leland Standford
 Millionaire senator representing California in the US
Senate at that time
 Founder and benefactor of Stanford University of Palo
Alto, California

• Dupont Street
- Grant Avenue today

• Rizal stayed in San Francisco for two days

• Grover Cleveland
- The President of the United States at that time
 ACROSS THE AMERICAN CONTINENT

OAKLAND SACRAMENTO RENO, NEVADA

OHAMA COLORADO UTAH

CHICAGO BOSTON ALBANY

HUDSON RIVER
 RIZAL IN NEW YORK
• May 13, 1888 - Rizal reached New York

• He stayed three days in the city which he called the “big

town”

• He was inspired by the memorials of George Washington

• May 16, 1888 – Rizal left New York for Liverpool on board
the City of Rome, the second largest ship in the world
during his time
(Great Eastern was the largest ship then.)

• He saw the Statue of Liberty on Beldoe Island

RIZAL’S IMPRESSIONS OF 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’S IMPRESSIONS OF 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

• “America, is the land par excellence of freedom

but only for the whites.”

-- Jose Rizal to Jose Alejandrino,

an engineering student form Belgium
END.