Figure 1.--This Filipino boy or batang lumad was probably photographed in the 1930s. He wears a loincloth with a bolo used for hunting and defense and a hat. Tribal boys rarely wear traditional clothes like this because of the increasing modernity of the tribal Filipinos.

The Philippines was one of the big trading centers in Asia because of geographical location before the colonization by Spain. These were important outposts both for spices and the China trade. Since the Spanish conquistadors came, it became a Spanish colony. Charles I (better known as Charles V, commissioned Magellan to find a passage through the Americas to the Spice Islands. Magellan sailed from Seville (1519) and explored the Plate estuary (1520) before crossing into the Pacific through the straits at the tip of South America now named for him. He claimed the Philippines for Spain, but was killed there (1521). One of his ships managed to return to Seville, completing the first circimnavigation of the world (1522). A series of Spanish expeditions followed. The exploers named the Islands the Filipinas, in honor of Philip II, Spain's agressively Catholic monarch.. Spain's colonial empire included the Philippine Islands and the East Indies (the Moluccas and Malaca). Three centuries of Spsanish rule made the Philippines “The Most Numbered Christian Country in Asia”. Roman Catholic became a majority. Spain ceded the Philippines to the United States as a result of the Spanish American War (1898). Spain also ceded Cuba, Guam and Puerto Rico. After a short period of American rule, the United States in the 1930s began to prepare the Philippines for independence. The Philippines played an important role in World War II. Independence was postponed by the the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and subsequent invasion of the Philippines (December 1941). Capture of the Philippine Islands was esential to Japan's effort to control the resources of southeast Asia and Oceania--particularly the oil of the Dutch East Indies. The carrier assault on Pearl Harbor which incaopaciated the American Pacific fleet made possible simultaneous attacks on Malaya, Thailand, Guam and Wake Islands Hong Kong, Singapore, and the Philippines. After nearly 3 years of Japanese occupation, the United Sttes began the liberation of the Ohilippines with the invasion at Leyte Gulf (October 1944). After World War II, the United States granted the Philippines independence and a republic took power (1948). Developments since independence have proven volitile, including dictatorship, corruption, terrorist attacks and economic problems. The Philippines has not shared the economic siuccess of some of its neighbors such as Singapore, Malaya, and Taiwan.

The Pre-Colonial Era

The Philippines was one of the big trading centers in Asia because of geographical location before the colonization by Spain. These were important outposts both for spices and the China trade.

Islamic Sultanates (15th century)

Islam reached the southern Philippines in the 15 century as part of trade activity with what is now Indonesia. Sultanates were established on Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago by sarmed traders who overwealmed the existing animist population. By the time the Spanish began to establish control of the Philippines (mid-16th century), Islamic influence had begun to reach Luzon. The Spanish firmly imprinted Catholocism on the majority of Filipinos, but never completely reduced Muslim autonomy on Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago. There the Muslim sultanates (Sulu, Maguindanao, and Maranao) resisted Spanish efforts to convert the population to Christianity.

Spanish Colonial Era (1591-1898)

Since the Spanish conquistadors came, it became a Spanish colony. Charles I (better known as Charles V, commissioned Magellan to find a passage through the Americas to the Spice Islands. Magellan sailed from Seville (1519) and explored the Plate estuary (1520) before crossing into the Pacific through the straits at the tip of South America now named for him. He claimed the Philippines for Spain, but was killed there (1521). One of his ships managed to return to Seville, completing the first circimnavigation of the world (1522). A series of Spanish expeditions followed. The exploers named the Islands the Filipinas, in honor of Philip II, Spain's agressively Catholic monarch.. Spain's colonial empire included the Philippine Islands and the East Indies (the Moluccas and Malaca). Three centuries of Spsanish rule made the Philippines “The Most Numbered Christian Country in Asia”. Roman Catholic became a majority. While the Spanish encountered considerable resistance in the 16th century, a Filipino independence movement did not rise to question Spanish rule again until the late 19th century.

American Colonial Era (1898-1948)

Spain ceded the Philippines to the United States as a result of the Spanish American War (1898). Spain also ceded Cuba, Guam and Puerto Rico. Some Filipinos resisted the Americans in a vicious guerilla war. Repeated insurrections and rebellions followed American possession of the Philippines (1898-1903). A young Douglas MacArthur was involved in the fighting. After a short period of American colonial rule, the United States in the 1930s began to prepare the Philippines for independence. The Philippines played an important role in World War II. Independence was postponed by the the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and subsequent invasion of the Philippines (December 1941). Capture of the Philippine Islands was esential to Japan's effort to control the resources of southeast Asia and Oceania--particularly the oil of the Dutch East Indies. The carrier assault on Pearl Harbor which incaopaciated the American Pacific fleet made possible simultaneous attacks on Malaya, Thailand, Guam and Wake Islands Hong Kong, Singapore, and the Philippines. After nearly 3 years of Japanese occupation, the United Sttes began the liberation of the Ohilippines with the invasion at Leyte Gulf (October 1944).

Independence (1948- )

The Philippines was to be a staging area for Operation Olympus, the planned invasion of the Japanese Home Islands. The Japanese had retreated to the mountains of northcentral Luzon and were isolated there. Finally after the atomic boms were dropped, the Japanese surrenderd (August 1945). They had lost nearly 0.5 million men trying to hold the Philippines in the Japanese Empire. With the end of the War, The United States could then begin to transfer soverignity to an independemt Filipino Republic which had been scheduled earlier. When the Japanese invaded, the Philippines had a democratically elected Government preparing to accept the responsibilities of independence. The president was Manuel L. Quezon. Independence had to be postponed because of the Japanese invasion (December 1941). After the War ended, the United States granted substantial sums to the new Filipino Government. The United States kept its committment made before the War. The reconstituted Philippine congress met for the first time since its 1941 election (June 9, 1945). Any new Government faces problems. The task faced by the new Government was unprecented, because of the explotive nature of the Japanese occuipation and the savege treatment of the Filipino people. The country was devastated by the War. Manilaooked like Hiroshima. The country's economy was in ruins. There was also political division and guerrilla warfare. Not all the anti-Japanese forces were committed to restoring democracy. There was also a Communist guierilla movement, President Quezon had died durig the War (1944). Vice President Sergio Osmeña replaced him. Osmeña was a founder of Nacionalista Party. In the first election after the War, Osmeña’s leadership was immediately challenged (January 946). What emerged as the Liberal Party) broke away from the Nationalist Party and nominated Manuel Roxas who proceeded to win the election (April 1946). The Philippines became an independent country (July 4, 1946). Developments since independence have proven volitile, including dictatorship, corruption, terrorist attacks and economic problems. The Philippines has not shared the economic siuccess of some of its neighbors such as Singapore, Malaya, and Taiwan.

Created: 11:15 PM 6/10/2007
Last updated: 3:35 AM 10/12/2012