History Lesson 20

España y Filipinas – Spain and the Philippines

When we think of the worldwide influence of the Spanish, we typically think of Central America, South America and the Caribbean. Spain had extensive colonies as well, however, in the Philippines and Africa.

The Philippines, an incredible archipelago of over 7,000 islands, was once governed by the United States, and America has had a significant role in its development over the last 125 years or so. This is especially true today, as Filipino people watch American TV, have American fast food and meet many American tourists. Also, many thousands of Filipino men and women have come to the United States for the opportunity to earn better wages and provide for their families.

But all of this Western influence began almost 500 years ago.

How to Use This Page:

1. Listen to the audio as you read along with the Spanish on the left.

2. Open the English translation, and read the two side-by-side, making sure you understand the Spanish.

3. Close the English, and listen to the audio again, reading along in Spanish.

4. Close the Spanish, and listen once more. Maybe shut your eyes, and just try to catch as much as you can.

Overview Timeline

La gente de Filipinas tiene raíces ancestrales de India y otros grupos orientales, pero su anterior creencia, Islam, vino en 1380. Cuando Magallanes y los españoles llegaron en 1521, ellos anexaron las islas para España, y en 1565 la primera colonia española fue fundada.

Bajo los españoles, Filipinas fue unida por primera vez bajo un gobierno, un reto impresionante con más de 7.000 islas. La gente tuvo que aprender el idioma español y la religión católica. Este periodo introdujo muchas comidas nuevas a la región también, como el maíz, el tomate, la papa, el chile y la piña. Muchas personas y lugares recibieron nombres españoles.

Desde el principio había resistencia contra los españoles, pero las rebeliones pequeñas fueron derrotadas fácilmente. El movimiento de la revolución ganó mucha fuerza en 1872 cuando tres sacerdotes fueron ejecutados por su participación en una rebelión llamado el Motín de Cavite. La gente los vio como mártires, y el resentimiento creció por más de 20 años.

La Revolución Filipina empezó en 1896 cuando los españoles descubrieron una sociedad secreta revolucionaria, Katipunan. Estados Unidos animó la revolución, pero no podía ayudarla oficialmente hasta que la situación en Cuba empezó la Guerra española-estadounidense. En 1898 la armada estadounidense derrotó la de España en la Bahía de Manila, tomando control de Filipinas.

El líder de la revolución declaró la independencia, pero ni España ni Estados Unidos reconoció la declaración. Después de la terminación de la guerra, Estados Unidos siguió gobernando la región. En 1899 otra guerra empezó, con Filipinas tratando de ganar su independencia de Estados Unidos. Esta guerra falló, y Filipinas fue una colonia estadounidense hasta la segunda guerra mundial.

Filipinas todavía retiene mucha influencia española. El 90% de la población es católica, y el país celebra los días de los santos, la navidad y la pascua. La comida del país es una mezcla de influencia nativa y española, y como en Latinoamérica, la arquitectura tiene aspectos españoles también. Por fin, aunque los idiomas oficiales son el tagalo y el inglés, muchas palabras españolas todavía se usan en las culturas.

The people of the Philippines have ancestral roots from India and other Asian groups, but their previous religion, Islam, came in 1380. When Magellan and the Spaniards arrived in 1521, they annexed the islands for Spain, and in 1565 the first Spanish colony was founded.

Under the Spanish, the Philippines were united for the first time under one government, an impressive feat with more than 7,000 islands. The people had to learn the Spanish language and the Catholic religion. This period introduced many new foods to the region also, such as corn, tomatoes, potatoes, peppers and pineapples. Many people and places received Spanish names.

From the beginning there was resistance against the Spanish, but the small rebellions were defeated easily. The movement of the revolution gained much strength in 1872 when three priests were executed for their participation in a rebellion called the Mutiny of Cavite. The people saw them as martyrs, and resentment grew for more than 20 years.

The Philippine Revolution began in 1896 when the Spanish discovered a secret revolutionary society, Katipunan. The United States encouraged the revolution, but couldn’t support it officially until the situation in Cuba began the Spanish-American war. In 1898 the American Navy defeated that of Spain in the Bay of Manila, taking control of the Philippines.

The leader of the revolution declared independence, but neither Spain nor the United States recognized the declaration. After the end of the war, the United States continued governing the region. In 1899 another war began, with the Philippines trying to gain their independence from the United States. This war failed, and the Philippines were an American colony until the Second World War.

The Philippines still retain a lot of Spanish influence. 90% of the population is Catholic, and the country celebrates the days of the saints, Christmas and Easter. The country’s food is a mixture of native and Spanish influence, and as in Latin America, the architecture has Spanish aspects as well. Finally, although the official languages are Tagalog and English, many Spanish words are still used in the culture.

Preguntas Básicas

1. What was the previous religion of the Philippines, and what is the main religion now?

2. What was the next stage of Philippine history after the Spanish lost control?

3. When did the Americans lose control of the Philippines?