Orphaned at the age of 14, he had to take on the task of caring for his younger brothers and sisters, being the eldest of six children. He quit 

schooling to look for ways to support his family.


While not fortunate to have a formal education, Andres educated himself by reading books through a lamp light at his house.


Unlike the middle class leaders who held onto the mistaken belief that Spain would hear their cries for reforms, Bonifacio knew deep in his heart that 

Spain would never grant the reforms demanded by the Filipino reformists.


Hence, on the night that the news of deportation of Dr. <a href="https://kahimyang.com/kauswagan/articles/1190/today-in-philippine-history-june-19-1861-dr-jose-p-rizal-was-born-in-calamba-laguna" class="news_link">Jose Rizal</a> to Dapitan leaked out, Bonifacio founded the Katipunan on July 7, 1892, along with Valentin Diaz, <a href="https://kahimyang.com/articles/3036/teodoro-plata-a-pillar-of-the-philippine-revolution" class="news_link">Teodoro Plata</a> (Andres’ brother-in-law), <a href="https://kahimyang.com/kauswagan/articles/1474/today-in-philippine-history-june-27-1863-ladislao-diwa-co-founder-of-the-katipunan-was-born-in-san-roque-cavite" class="news_link">Ladislao Diwa</a>, <a href="https://kahimyang.com/kauswagan/articles/1565/today-in-philippine-history-july-26-1844-deodato-arellano-was-born-in-bulakan-bulacan" class="news_link">Diodato Arellano</a> (brother-in-law of <a href="https://kahimyang.com/kauswagan/articles/554/today-in-philippine-history-august-30-1850-marcelo-h-del-pilar-was-born-in-cupang-bulacan-bulacan" class="news_link">Marcelo H. Del Pilar</a>) and few others in Tondo, to 

secure the independence and freedom of the Philippines by force. They formalized their membership in the organization by signing the Katipunan pact 

with their own blood.


On that same year, Bonifacio married <a href="https://kahimyang.com/kauswagan/articles/1203/mga-tala-ng-aking-buhay-autobiography-of-gregoria-de-jesus-wife-of-andres-bonifacio" target="_blank" class="news_link" title="Gregoria 

de Jesus"> Gregoria de Jesus</a> , who took charge of the confidential files, firearms, seals and other materials of the society.


With the discovery of the Katipunan on August 19, 1896, Bonifacio and the other Katipuneros gathered secretly at the farm of Juan A. Ramos, a son of 

Melchora Aquino, at Pugad Lawin, then a part of Balintawak, on August 23, 1896 and agreed to fight to the bitter end, <a href="https://kahimyang.com/kauswagan/articles/523/today-in-philippine-history-august-23-1896-katipuneros-led-by-andres-bonifacio-tore-their-cedulas" class="news_link" title="Cry of Balintawak"> tore their cedulas</a> as a symbolic gesture of their defiance of Spanish rule and the start of Philippine Revolution against Spain.

November 30, 1863, Andres Bonifacio was born in Tondo, Manila