The Philippine-American War

        The war between the Filipinos and the Americans started when a group of Filipino soldiers were shot by a couple of American soldiers on the night of February 4,1899 at the corner of Sociego and Silencio streets in Sta. Mesa,Manila. Private William Grayson and Private Robert Miller, thinking that the soldiers were provoking them, fired the first shot that brought the Filipinos and the Americans to war.

          The Filipinos furiously fought the Americans in all battles that ensued between them. When the Filipinos realized that the Americans were difficult to defeat because of their more advanced weapons and military strategies, the Filipinos resorted to guerilla tactics. Schemes like staging of ambushes and raids were the more convenient yet unconventional methods of combat for the Filipino soldiers. Several personalities like General Antonio Luna of Ilocos Norte, General Gregorio del Pilar of Bulacan,Geneal Miguel Malvar of Batangas, General Simeon Ola of Bicol,General Vicente Lukban of Camarines Norte, Dionisio Seguela or Papa Isio of Negros Occidental, and General Macario Sakay of Manila led our revolutionary forces in battles in various places in the country.


          March 23,1901, Aguinaldo was captured by the Americans in Palanan, Isabela. This ended the 1st Philippine Republic. Soon, after, he swore allegiance to United States of America and asked the Filipinos to surrender to the Americans and embrace the American rule.

The siege of Manila and the mock battle

The American battleships surrounded the Manila Bay at dawn on May 1, 1898. Dewey waited for reinforcements to enter Manila. Meanwhile, Filipino revolutionaries were winning against the Spaniards outside the walled city of Intramuros. They were ready to enter the city, but the Americans and Spaniards had conspired to stage a mock battle to ensure that the defeated Spaniards would surrender only to the Americans.

The Filipinos thought that they were fighting for their freedom with the aid of the Americans. In truth, Filipinos had already been sold out by the Spaniards and betrayed by the Americans.


On December 10,1898 ,The Treaty of Paris between United States and Spain was signed. Spain ceded the Philippines and other Spanish colonies to the US and received $20,000,000 payment for the efforts of Spain in ''developing'' the country.

The Spanish-American War, a prelude to American conquest

Nearing the end of the 19th Century, Spain was at brink of losing its colonies including Philippines. The people's agitation with the Spanish colonial government was becoming more and more intense. The revolution for independence had spread throughout the country since 1896.

Cuba, a colony of Spain, was also aiming for freedom. The United States had investments in Cuba that reached $50,000,000.

The battleship USS Maine was sent to protect US troops in Cuba, where it was docked at the Harbor of Havana.

When the USS Maine exploded ---> february 15,1898
Spain was blamed for what happened.This caused President McKinley, with the help of the US Congress, to officially declare war against Spain on April 25,1898.
It was discovered, later that the explosion was due to the accidental ignition of five tons of powder charges for the ship's guns. Neverthless, American war with Spain had already started and Spanish colonies like the Philippines were caught crossfire.

Philippine Independence and Malolos Congress

Philippine Independence and Malolos Congress

Emilio Aquinaldo
-proclaimed the Philippine Independence > June 12,1898
                                                                  > inaugurated in the balcony
                                                                     of Aguinaldo's mansion in Kawit Cavite.

















Malolos Congress
-the 1st Philippine Republic's constituent assembly.
- was inaugurated in the Barasoain Church of Malolos Bulacan.
- September 15, 1898

''When the draft of the constitution was ratified, Aguinaldo was proclaimed as President of the new government''

1st Philippine Republic
-inaugurated on January 23,1899
-Barasoain Church,Malolos, Bulacan.

felipe Calderon
-headed a committe who wrote the draft of the malolos constitution.

Life of the filipinos during the Japanese period

The war caused widespread scarcity of basic necessities.  Economic activities,like, the transport of products from the farms to the markets,were interrupted causing the closure of many businesses. Many people lost their jobs. On top of this, a new currency was introduced by the Japanese filipinos called it ''Mickey Mouse'' money because it was printed in great volumes that depreciated its value. Because of the scarcity of products, the vendors charged high prices for their products. Thus, people had to carry  big bags or sacks of money to buy a few products.

With rampant food shortage, the people had to depend on rationed rice given by the government. Many filipinos planted vegetables in their backyards to sustain their daily need for food. The widespread poverty caused increased crime rates, the spread of diseases, and chaos and disorder reigned in the society.

Life of the filipinos during Japanese period

One of the very few benefits that the Japanese occupation brought to the Philippines was the importance placed on the national language.
Wanting to erase the influence of Americans, the Japanese only allowed Tagalog and Niponggo languages to be use in the country . Tagalog became the language of instruction in schools, while everyone was required to learn Niponggo. The Japanese educational policy was called the ''moral transformation'' or spiritual rejuvenation'' of the filipinos. The Japanese authorities also ordered the opening of vocational schools.

However, this seemingly well-meaning intention of the Japanese invaders was overshadowed by the nightmare of their astrocities. The filipinos feared the kempetai or the Japanese military police. The kempetai gained notoriety for commiting acts of violence against the filipinos. Most  often, they were responsible for the deaths of many innocent filipinos suspected of supporting the guerilla movement. Their abuses ranged from murder,rape,torture,and other inhumane acts.

The Local Government

Provinces that were fully conquered and pacified were called alcadias
These provinces were put under the control of the alcalde-mayor.
The alcalde-mayor implemented the laws in his province.


Provinces that were not yet pacified were called corregimientos.
These provinces were put under the care of corregidores.

The provinces were divided into towns or pueblos. The gobernadorcillo was the head of the town. This position could be occupied by former datus or cabezas de barangay. This was the highest position in the government that a native occupy. The rest of the higher positions were given only to Spaniards.
The main duty of the gobernadorcillo was to collect tax, especially from the ports.

Each pueblo further subdivided into smaller communities called barrio or barangay. Each barangay was headed by the cabeza. More often than not, a former datu or a prominent native assumed this government position. The cabeza de barangay aided the gobernadorcillo in collecting taxes. The baranay, up to now, is still the smallest political unit in the Philippines.

Most of the former datus became ordinary members of the community. Those who found favor from the Spaniards maintained good standing in the community. They were given important positions such as local registrars, assistant of Spanish officials and friars, and guardias civil.