A Glimpse of Philippine History
For over 3 centuries, the Philippines was a Spanish colony; in fact, it was named to honor King Philip II of Spain (1556-1598).
The Philippines is an archipelago consisting of 7,000 islands that maybe more during low tide and less during high tide. According to the Ice Age Theory, the Philippines was part of main land Asia during the Ice Age and linked to the big continent by land bridges.
The original settlers were hunter-gatherers; however, when they discovered some aspects of agriculture between 3,000 BC and 2,000 BC, the people began planting rice and domesticating animals. By the 10th century AD, Filipinos were trading with China and by the 12th Century AD, Arab goods reached the islands. Islam missionaries arrived to convert the natives.
1521 was Red-letter day for Ferdinand Magellan discovered the Philippines after more than 2 years travelling the high seas. He landed in Cebu and claimed the place for Spain. Magellan and his missionary converted Chief Humabon who was baptized in preparation for his becoming their puppet ruler. Chief Lapulapu from Mactan refused to cooperate with the Spaniards. Magellan led a force to crush him and show Spanish supremacy but the force was defeated and Magellan was killed.
It was not until 1565 when Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, in the name of Spain led an expedition successfully and built a fort in Cebu. In 1571, they expanded to Luzon and built the city of Intramuros that was later called Manila. The city became the capital of the Philippines. Spanish conquistadors marched inland and finally conquered Luzon. They established a feudal system where they owned vast estates driving Filipinos to work for them.
Friars were ubiquitous parts of their conquest fulfilling their role in converting the Filipinos to Catholicism. On the upside, they built schools and universities.
Aside from the bad, Spanish conquest of the Philippines brought along prosperity –but only for the maharlikas. Yearly trading with China for goods such as silk, porcelain and lacquer was profitable as these goods were re-exported to Mexico.
The years passed uneventfully but not peacefully as here and there were skirmishes for Filipinos wanted to get off the Spanish yoke. The big event happened in 1762 when British captured Manila. They held on for two years but they handed it back in 1764 under the terms of the Treaty of Paris, signed in 1763.