"History in thePhilippines"

The Spanish Colonial

  • After the Spaniards succeeded in 1556 to break the last good
  • organized resistance, a long period of Spanish
  • influence followed.  The Spaniards ruled the country,
  • brought the Christian religion to the country
  • and were responsible for  a lot of colonial
  • and religious buildings throughout the country. 
  • The results can still be seen in places as for
  • instance Cebu City and Manila.

Revolts against the colonizers

 

The Spanish colonial period wasn't without resistance of the Filipinos. On the contrary. There was a succession of revolts against the European colonizers. Aguinaldo was the great leader of the big revolt of 1896. However, the Filipino rebels didn't succeed to defeat the armed Spaniards at that time. A helping hand came a few years later from the Americans.

Liberty,  brought by the Americans?

 

At the end of the nineteenth century, on April 25,1898,  the United States declared  war on Spain. The main reason was that the U.S. battle ship Main was blown up in the harbor of Havana.  The United States thought Spain blew up this ship with a mine. (However, it was proved that the Main blew up due to coal dust). The American navy decided to attack the Spanish fleet in the Philippine waters. The battle took place in Manila Bay. On May 1 in 1898 the Spanish fleet was destroyed.  After 327 years under Spanish rule, the Philippine people thought that they won independence at last. The Americans however, thought quit different about that at that time. 

Aguinaldo

The Philippines, sold for a amount of less

than 20 million dollars

 

After the end of the American-Spanish war in 1898, 

the Spaniards sold  the Philippines and other colonial properties for 20 million dollar to the Americans.  Aguinaldo didn't want to accept American rule and proclaimed the first Philippine Republic. 

The Americans  decided that the Filipinos were not 

yet capable to be independent. A hostile period started.  The United States needed more than 125.000 soldiers to subdue the Philippines. The Philippine rebels were forced to retreat and were driven into northern Luzon. From here they started a guerrilla. This "Philippine War of Independence" continued for two years and ended when Aguinaldo was captured on March 23, 1901. 

Only sporadic resistance continued until 1903. 

 

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In the waters of the Philippines

there are more than 2000 different kinds of fish. Added to that figure, the country counts about 200 different kinds of reptiles and 25000 different insects. The smallest monkey and the biggest fish in the world, they both live in the Philippines! Spectacular is the colourful underwater-world. Every year many tourists come to the Philippines to one of the islands, where scuba diving brings them to this amazing underwater-world.  

The Philippines can show you what a typical tropical country can offer in species of animals. Of course, not all animals are rare or specific for the Philippines. That is for sure if you take the carabao, the cocks or the lizards. 

 

Mga Tokó, as the people in de Visayas call the small lizards, are living in houses and other buildings in every tropical country.