Philippines History (2024)

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Find histories of the Philippines or its provinces in the Locality section of the FamilySearch Catalog under:

PHILIPPINES - HISTORY

PHILIPPINES, (PROVINCE) - HISTORY

History[edit | edit source]

The Philippine Islands were discovered by Magellen in 1521, and claimed by Spain. The first successful settlements were made in 1565. Although the Spanish rulers did not generally mix with the local populace, the Spanish language, religion and customs were imposed on the Filipinos. The original peoples were largely Malay and Indonesian tribes, Negritos The earliest inhabitants were Negritos, sometimes called Pygmies and mainly Chinese merchants.

The influence of Muslim traders and teachers was felt in the Philippines as early as the 11th century. By the 14th century many Filipinos in the southern areas had been converted to Islam. They were called Moros by the Spanish. The Spanish were not able to fully contain the Moros until the latter half of the 19th century. In the early period the colony was quite isolated from Spain, which led to near autonomy by the colonial leaders. The population was converted to Roman Catholicism, and a strong centralized government with considerable clerical influence developed. Filipino groups Tagalog, Visayan, Bikol, Ilokano, Igorot, Ifugao, Tinggian, Bukidnon, Bagobo, still maintained their identity and languages, but Spanish was introduced throughout the country. Trade restrictions were eased in the 19th century creating a wave of prosperity. Chinese immigration increased dramatically during this period as did Spanish emigration from the newly independent countries of Latin America.

Filipino desire for independence led to numerous uprisings. The most important of these began in 1896 and continued until the United States defeated Spain in 1898 in the Spanish-American War. Independence was declared at that time, but the terms of the treaty of Paris in 1898 ceded the Islands to the United States. The War of Resistance from 1899 to 1902 against U.S. rule is now referred to by many Filipinos as the Philippine-American War.

Although the insurrection was crushed by the United States, the U.S. declared that its administration was temporary, and had as its goal the development of a free and democratic government. Public education, sound legal systems, and a bicameral legislature were implemented and civil service was gradually taken over by Filipinos. The English language was used in official documents during this time period and in 1935 a ten year transition period was established, and although interrupted by World War II, when the Philippines was taken over by Japan in 1942 to 1944, the United States and the Philippines decided to move forward with plans for independence. The country suffered great damage and complete organizational breakdown during the war in which over a million Filipinos lost their lives. On July 4, 1946 the Philippine Islands became the independent Republic of the Philippines.
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Timeline[edit | edit source]

1521 - The Philippines are discovered by Europe
1571 - Regular trade was established between the Spaniards and the Chinese
1762 - The early Spanish colonization period
1762 - The later period of Spanish rule
1756 - 1763 The 1898 Seven Years’ War
1820 - Social and economic changes as the Port 72 of Manila opened to foreign commerce
1868 - Spanish Revolution when Queen Isabella II deposed
1898 - Spanish-American War
1898 - Declaration of Philippine independence from Spaniards
1899 - 1935 First phase of American rule
1934 - First constitution. 1941 - The Japanese occupied the Philippines
1946 - The Philippines became a republic

Historical Periods[edit | edit source]

There are reliable records for four main periods of Philippine history:

• Spanish rule (1521–1898)
• American rule (1898–1946)
• Japanese occupation (1941–1946)
• Philippine self rule (1946–present)

The following are a few of many sources available in most large libraries:

Edgerton, Ronald K. Survey of Historical Materials in Manila on 19th Century Philippine History. Bulletin of the American Historical Collection. 1 (1972): 7–23.

Miravite, Rosalina S. Books on Philippine History. Honolulu, Hawaii, USA: University of Hawaii Press, 1965.

Van Niel, Robert. Survey of Historical Source Material in Java and Manila. Hawaii, USA: University of Hawaii Press, c1970. (FS Library book 959 A5v.)

Local Histories[edit | edit source]

Local histories are some of the most valuable resources for family history research. Published histories of municipalities, cities, and provinces usually have accounts of families. They describe the settlement of the area and the founding of churches, schools, and businesses. You can also find lists of early inhabitants, soldiers, patriots, and civil officials in these records. Even if your ancestor is not listed, information on other relatives may give important clues for locating him or her. A local history may also help a person think of other records to search.

Many histories of cities and provinces have sections or volumes of biographical information. These may give information on up to 25 percent of the families in the area.

In addition, study and enjoy local histories for the background information about your family’s lifestyle, community, and living environment.

In 1952 the Bureau of Public Schools began collecting and compiling local histories, legends, customs, traditions, and even songs and poems. Local schoolteachers led this work and although much of the information is undocumented and secondary, you can gather much information from these sources. These records are in the Philippine National Library’s Filipiniana collection and in libraries throughout the Philippines.

References[edit | edit source]