Early history-
The first inhabitants of the Philippines, called the Negritos, migrated from Borneo, Sumatra, and Malaya some 30,000 years ago. During the 14th century, Arab traders from Borneo and Malaya introduce Islam to the southern part of Philippines.
The Spanish began its conquest over the Philippines in 1564 and by 1571 the Spanish city of Manila was established. Soon after, Manila repelled attacks from Chinese pirates and frequent uprisings from Filipinos who didn't agree with the encomienda system. Around the end of the 16th century, Manila had become a leading commercial center in East Asia.... click comments to read more
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Early history- The first inhabitants of the Philippines, called the Negritos, migrated from Borneo, Sumatra, and Malaya some 30,000 years ago. During the 14th century, Arab traders from Borneo and Malaya introduce Islam to the southern part of Philippines. The Spanish began its conquest over the Philippines in 1564 and by 1571 the Spanish city of Manila was established. Soon after, Manila repelled attacks from Chinese pirates and frequent uprisings from Filipinos who didn't agree with the encomienda system. Around the end of the 16th century, Manila had become a leading commercial center in East Asia.
It was soon obvious that the Filipinos were beginning to oppose the Spanish clergy at the end of the 19th century for want of independence. Dr. Jose Rizal, a writer and National hero of Philippines, inspired many people with his writings and actions. His books talk about the Spanish clergy and how Philippines were a great nation before they even set foot on the country. Rizal helped the people and won their favor. In 1896, the Spanish accused him of rebellion and was executed. Others also began to turn against the clergy like Andres Banifacio, Valentin Diaz, Teodoro Plata, Ladislao Diwa, Deodato Arellano and a few others who started the Katipunan. The Katipunan or Kataastaasan, Kagalanggalang na Katipunan nang manga Anak ng Bayan, began in 1892 to rid the Philippines of the Spanish rule. Katipunan was strong and had many members who were sealed by blood. The death of Jose Rizal in 1896, sparked a revolution in the province of Cavite. The Filipino leader, Emilio Aguinaldo, achieved a short-lived peace with Spain until 1898 at the breakout of the Spanish-American war. With the support of the U.S., the Philippines were liberated and established their own Republic under the Democratic constitution. The Filipinos were crushed when they were put under U.S. rule; all their dreams on independence were gone. Aguinaldo led a revolt against the new U.S. rule, but was easily defeated resulting in loss of lives greater than the Spanish-American war. In 1916, the U.S. Congress passed the Jones Act, which gave the Philippines the right to self-independence. In 1921 the Republicans regained power in the U.S. and denied the Philippines self-independence and Gen. Leonard Wood led a semi military rule as governor-general in the Philippines.
The 1932 Hare-Hawes Cutting act enabled the Philippines to have complete independence in 1945. Manuel L. Quezon was elected first president of the Philippines in 1935 and reelected in 1941. General MacArthur was brought to the islands in defense from the Japanese in WWII. After the war, Philippine Congress met on June 9, 1945 led by the first president of the Republic, Manuel Roxas.
Manuel Roxas was elected president of the Republic of Philippines as independence was exempted on July 4 1946. A 99 year lease on U.S. military bases and personal was signed on March 1947. Manuel Roxas suddenly died on April 1948, which brought vice president Elpidio Quirino to power. Quirino won the presidential elections in November 1949 over Jose Laurel.
Rebuilding Philippines after the war was disrupted by the violent activities of the communist Hukbalahap Guerillas (Huks). Ramon Magsaysay won presidency in November 1953 over Quirino. The Huks used violence to gain some land reform and political power. In 1954, Magsaysay finally brought down the Huks as former minister of national defense. Magsaysay helped progress the reformation of the land and built new settlements out of the packed main island Luzon. President Magsaysay later died in an airplane crash in March 1957, and was succeeded by vice president Carlos P. Garcia.
In 1954, the Philippines joined the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization and kept an anti-communist policy. The Philippines began to oppose president Garcia, in 1959 due to anti Americanism and government corruption was led by Vice President Diosdado Macapagal, also the party leader of the union of Liberal and Progressive parties.
In 1965, Ferdinand E. Macros became president over Macapagal, and in 1967 the Philippines became one of the founding nations of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. The necessity of land reformation influenced another Huks rising, which brought many assassinations and terror attacks in 1969. President Macros led a major military campaign to suppress them. Macros was reelected in November 1969, but was followed by violence and fraud charges. In January 1970, around 2000 protesters tried to storm the presidential home, Malacanang Palace. Riots went off against U.S. embassies, an attempt on Pope Paul IV’s life was made, and at a Liberal party rally, grenades were thrown at a speaker’s platform which killed many people. Charging that a communist insurgence threatened, Macros declared martial law in September 1972. The constitution made in 1935, was replaced in 1973 which gave the president direct power. In 1973, around 3000 people were killed and many villages were burned down. Throughout the 1970s, Macros’ government corruption and poverty remained and Imelda Macros, Ferdinand’s wife, became more dominant.
The martial law stayed until 1981, as Macros was reelected, even though many election frauds were charged. Opposition leader Benigno Aquino was assassinated at Manila airport on August 21 1983, which roused a stronger anti Macros dispute. After the 1986 elections, both Macros and opponent, Corazon Aquino, Benigno’s widowed wife, declared themselves winners and substantial charges of fraud and violence were heightened against Macros. Macros’ support faded and he fled the Philippines on February 25, 1986 to the United States. Corazon Aquino became the Philippines’ first woman president.
Corazon Aquino’s government faced problems that included overthrowing attempts, economic troubles, and the rising pressure to rid the Philippines of U.S. military presence. The last of the U.S. bases were withdrawn in 1992. In 1990, a Muslim expanse was created in the far south. Aquino turned down reelection, and army chief of staff Fidel Ramos, became president. Ramos’ political program was rather successful, but opened discussions about the Marxist and Muslim guerillas. Violence pressed on through the 1990s and in 1999, Marxist rebels and Muslim separatists united to fight against the government.
The slowing of economic reformation was from the cause of many natural disasters, including the 1991 eruption of Mt. Pinatubo and many harsh typhoons. A former movie star Joseph Marcelo Estrada was elected president in 1998 promising to help the poor and grow the county’s agricultural area.
Late in 2000, President Estrada’s presidency was pounded by charges of accepting millions of dollars of in payoffs from illegal gambling. Estrada’s support stayed strong with poor Filipinos, but the business and church leaders called for him to resign. The house of representatives impeached Estrada, but the senate roused a crisis when they refused to have the president’s bank records checked. Members of the cabinet resigned as protesters against Estrada rose. The supreme court removed Estrada of his presidency and Vice President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo succeeded him. Arroyo won presidency on her own right in May, 2004.
http://pinas.dlsu.edu.ph/history/history.html
http://park.org/Philippines/centennial/herolist.htm
http://opmanong.ssc.hawaii.edu/filipino/katipunan.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katipunan
http://www.ac.wwu.edu/~fasawwu/resources/rizal/biography
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