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This article covers the history of the Philippines during the time of the Spanish Empire, from the arrival of arrival of
Ferdinand Magellan in 1521, until the Spanish-American War that ended Spanish rule in 1898.
In 1569, Legazpi transferred to Panay and founded a second settlement on the bank of the Panay River. In 1570,
Legazpi sent his grandson, Juan de Salcedo, who had arrived from Mexico in 1567, to Mindoro to punish Moro
pirates who had been plundering Panay villages. Salcedo also destroyed forts on the islands of Ilin and Lubang,
respectively South and Northwest of Mindoro.: 79 [2]
In 1570, Martn de Goiti, having been dispatched by Legazpi to Luzon, conquered the Kingdom of Maynila (now
Manila).: 79 [2] Legazpi then made Maynila the capital of the Philippines and simplified its spelling to Manila. His
expedition also renamed Luzon Nueva Castilla. Legazpi became the country's first governor-general. With time,
Cebu's importance fell as power shifted north to Luzon. The archipelago was Spain's outpost in the orient and Manila
became the capital of the entire Spanish East Indies. The colony was administered through the Viceroyalty of New
Spain (now Mexico) until 1821 when Mexico achieved independence from Spain. After 1821, the colony was
governed directly from Spain.
During most of the colonial period, the Philippine economy depended on the Galleon Trade which was inaugurated
in 1565 between Manila and Acapulco, Mexico. Trade between Spain and the Philippines was via the Pacific Ocean
to Mexico (Manila to Acapulco), and then across the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean to Spain (Veracruz to
Cdiz). Manila became the most important center of trade in Asia between the 17th and 18th centuries. All sorts of
products from China, Japan, Brunei, the Moluccas and even India were sent to Manila to be sold for silver 8-Real
coins which came aboard the galleons from Acapulco. These goods, including silk, porcelain, spices, lacquerware
and textile products were then sent to Acapulco and from there to other parts of New Spain, Peru and Europe.
The European population in the archipelago steadily grew although natives remained the majority. They depended
on the Galleon Trade for a living. In the later years of the 18th century, Governor-General Basco introduced
economic reforms that gave the colony its first significant internal source income from the production of tobacco and
other agricultural exports. In this later period, agriculture was finally opened to the European population, which
before was reserved only for the natives.
During Spains 333 year rule in the Philippines, the colonists had to fight off the Chinese pirates (who lay siege to
Manila, the most famous of which was Limahong in 1574), Dutch forces, Portuguese forces, and indigenous revolts.
Moros from western Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago also raided the coastal Christian areas of Luzon and the
Visayas and occasionally captured men and women to be sold as slaves.
Some Japanese ships visited the Philippines in the 1570s in order to export Japanese silver and import Philippine
gold. Later, increasing imports of silver from New World sources resulted in Japanese exports to the Philippines
shifting from silver to consumer goods. In the 1580s, the Spanish traders were troubled to some extent by Japanese
pirates, but peaceful trading relations were established between the Philippines and Japan by 1590. Japan's kampaku
(regent), Toyotomi Hideyoshi, demanded unsuccessfully on several occasions that the Philippines submit to Japan's
suzerainty.
On February 8, 1597, King Philip II, near the end of his 42-year reign, issued a Royal Cedula instructing Francisco
de Tello de Guzmn, then Governor-General of the Philippines to fulfill the laws of tributes and to provide for
restitution of ill-gotten taxes taken from the natives. The decree was published in Manila on August 5, 1598. King
Philip died on 13 September, just forty days after the publication of the decree, but his death was not known in the
Philippines until middle of 1599, by which time a referendum by which the natives would acknowledge Spanish rule
was underway. With the completion of the Philippine referendum of 1599, Spain could be said to have established
legitimate sovereignty over the Philippines.
Spanish rule
Part of a series on the
Political System
The Spanish quickly organized their new colony according to their model. The first task was the reduction, or
relocation of native inhabitants into settlements. The earliest political system used during the conquista period was
the encomienda system, which resembled the feudal system in medieval Europe. The conquistadores, friars and
native nobles were granted estates, in exchange for their services to the King, and was given the privilege to collect
tribute from its inhabitants. In return, the person granted the encomienda, known as an encomendero, was tasked to
provide military protection to the inhabitants, justice and governance. In times of war, the encomendero was duty
bound to provide soldiers for the King, in particular, for the complete defense of the colony from invaders such as
the Dutch, British and Chinese. The encomienda system was abused by encomenderos and by 1700 was largely
replaced by administrative provinces, each headed by an alcalde mayor (provincial governor)[3] The most prominent
feature of Spanish cities was the plaza, a central area for town activities such as the fiesta, and where government
buildings, the church, a market area and other infrastructures were located. Residential areas lay around the plaza.
During the conquista, the first task of colonization was the reduction, or relocation of the indigenous population into
settlements surrounding the plaza.
As in Europe, the church always had control over the state affairs of the colony. The friars controlled the sentiments
of the native population and was more powerful than the governor-general himself. Among the issues that resulted to
the Philippine revolution of 1898 that ended Spanish rule was the abuse of power by the religious orders.[citation
needed]
National Government
On the national level, the King of Spain, through his Council of the Indies (Consejo de las Indias), governed through
his sole representative in the Philippines: the Governor-General (Gobernador y Capitn General). With the seat of
power in Intramuros, Manila, the Governor-General was given several duties: he headed the Supreme Court (Royal
Audiencia), was Commander-in-chief of the army and navy, and was the economic planner of the country. All
known executive power of the local government stemmed from him and as vice-regal patron, he had the right to
supervise mission work and oversee ecclesiastical appointments. His yearly salary was P40,000. For obvious
reasons, the Governor-General was usually a Peninsular (Spaniard born in Spain) to ensure loyalty of the colony to
the crown.
Provincial Government
On the provincial level, heading the pacified provinces (alcaldia), was the provincial governor (alcalde mayor). The
unpacified military zones (corregimiento), such as Mariveles and Mindoro, were headed by the corregidores. City
governments (ayuntamientos), were also headed by an alcalde mayor. Alcalde mayors and corregidores exercised
multiple prerogatives as judge, inspector of encomiendas, chief of police, tribute collector, capitan-general of the
province and even vice-regal patron. His annual salary ranged from P300 to P2000 before 1847 and P1500 to P1600
after it. But this can be augmented through the special privilege of "indulto de commercio" where all people were
forced to do business with him. The alcalde mayor was usually an Insulares (Spaniard born in the Philippines). In
the 19th century, the Peninsulares began to displace the Insulares which resulted in the political unrests of 1872,
notably the execution of GOMBURZA, Novales Revolt and mutiny of the Cavite fort under La Madrid.
Municipal Government
The pueblo or town is headed by the Gobernadorcillo or little governor. Among his administrative duties were the
preparation of the tribute list (padron), recruitment and distribution of men for draft labor, communal public work
and military conscription (quinto), postal clerk and judge in minor civil suits. He intervened in all administrative
cases pertaining to his town: lands, justice, finance and the municipal police. His annual salary, however, was only
P24 but he was exempted from taxation. Any native or Chinese mestizo, 25 years old, literate in oral or written
Spanish and has been a Cabeza de Barangay of 4 years can be a Gobernadorcillo. Among those prominent is Emilio
Economy
Manila-Acapulco Galleon Trade
The Manila-Acapulco Galleon Trade was the main source of income for the colony during its early years. Service
was inaugurated in 1565 and continued into the early 19th century. The Galleon trade brought silver from New
Spain, which was used to purchase Asian goods such as silk from China, spices from the Moluccas, lacquerware
from Japan and Philippine cotton textiles.[4] These goods were then exported to New Spain and ultimately Europe by
way of Manila. Thus, the Philippines earned its income through the trade of the Manila-Acapulco Galleon. The trade
was very prosperous and attracted many merchants to Manila, especially the Chinese. However, initially it neglected
the development of the colony's local industries which affected the Indios since agriculture was their main source of
income. In addition, the building and operation of galleons put too much burden on the colonists' annual polo y
servicio. However, it resulted in cultural and commercial exchanges between Asia and the Americas that led to the
introduction of new crops and animals to the Philippines such as corn, potato, tomato, cotton and tobacco among
others, that gave the colony its first real income. The trade lasted for over two hundred years, and ceased in 1815 just
before the secession of American colonies from Spain.
Royal Society of Friends of the Country
Jos de Basco y Vargas, following a royal order to form a society of intellectuals who can produce new, useful ideas,
formally established the Real Sociedad Economica de Amigos del Pais. Composed of leading men in business,
industry and profession, the society was tasked to explore and exploit the island's natural bounties. The society led to
the creation of Plan General Economico of Basco which implemented the monopolies on the areca nut, tobacco,
spirited liquors and explosives. It offered local and foreign scholarships and training grants in agriculture and
established an academy of design. It was also credited to the carabao ban of 1782, the formation of the silversmiths
British invasion
In August 1759, Charles III ascended the Spanish throne. At the time, Britain and France were at war, in what was
later called the Seven Years War. France, suffering a series of setbacks, successfully negotiated a treaty with Spain
known as the Family Compact which was signed on 15 August 1761. By an ancillary secret convention, Spain was
committed to making preparations for war against Britain.
The early success at Manila did not enable the British to control the Philippines. Spanish-Filipino forces (made up
mostly of Filipinos) kept the British confined to Manila. Nevertheless, the British were confident of eventual success
after receiving the written surrender of captured Catholic Archbishop Rojo on 30 October 1762.
The surrender was rejected as illegal by Don Simn de Anda y Salazar, who claimed the title of Governor-General
under the statutes of the Council of Indies. He led Spanish-Filipino forces that kept the British confined to Manila
and sabotaged or crushed British fomented revolts. Anda intercepted and redirected the Manila galleon trade to
prevent further captures by the British. The failure of the British to consolidate their position led to troop desertions
and a breakdown of command unity which left the British forces paralysed and in an increasingly precarious
position.
The Seven Years War was ended by the Peace of Paris signed on 10 February 1763. At the time of signing the treaty,
the signatories were not aware that the Manila was under British occupation and was being administered as a British
Early resistance
Resistance against Spain did not immediately cease upon the conquest of the Austronesian cities. After Rajah patis
of Cebu, random native nobles resisted Spanish rule. The longest recorded native rebellion was that of Francisco
Dagohoy which lasted a century.
During the British occupation of Manila (17621764), Diego Silang was appointed by them as governor of Ilocos
and after his assassination by fellow natives, his wife Gabriela continued to lead the Ilocanos in the fight against
Spanish rule. Resistance against Spanish rule was regional in character, based on ethnolinguistic groups.
Hispanization did not spread to the mountainous center of northern Luzon, nor to the inland communities of
Mindanao. The highlanders were more able to resist the Spanish invaders than the lowlanders.
The Moros, most notably the sultanates, had a more advanced political system than their counterparts in the Visayas
and Luzon. Spanish cities in Mindanao were limited to the coastal areas of Zamboanga and Cagayan de Oro.
Freemasonry
Freemasonry had gained a generous following in Europe and the Americas during the 19th century and found its way
to the Philippines. The Western World was quickly changing and sought less political control from the Roman
Catholic Church.
The first Filipino Masonic lodge was Revoluccion. It was established by Graciano Lopez Jaena in Barcelona and was
recognized in April 1889. It did not last long after he resigned from being its worshipful master on November 29,
1889.
In December 1889, Marcelo H. del Pilar established, with the help of Julio Llorente, the Solidaridad in Madrid. Its
first worshipful master was Llorente. A short time later, the Solidaridad grew. Some its members included Jos
Rizal, Pedro Serrano Laktaw, Baldomero Roxas, and Galicano Apacible.
In 1891, Del Pilar sent Laktaw to the Philippines to establish a Masonic lodge. Laktaw established on January 6,
1892, the Nilad, the first Masonic lodge in the Philippines. It is estimated that there were 35 masonic lodges in the
Philippines in 1893 of which nine were in Manila. The first Filipina freemason was Rosario Villaruel. Trinidad and
Josefa Rizal, Marina Dizon, Romualda Lanuza, Purificacion Leyva, and many others join the masonic lodge.
Freemasonry was important during the time of the Philippine Revolution. It pushed the reform movement and carried
out the propaganda work. In the Philippines, many of those who pushed for a revolution were member of
freemasonry like Andrs Bonifacio. In fact, the organization used by Bonifacio in establishing the Katipunan was
derived from the Masonic society. It may be said that joining masonry was one activity that both the reformists and
the Katipuneros shared.
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References
[1]
[2]
[3]
[4]
[5]
Citations
Agoncillo, Teodoro A. (1990), History of the Filipino People (Eighth ed.), University of the Philippines,
ISBN971-8711-06-6
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External links
Shamanism, Catholicism and Gender Relations in Colonial Philippines 1521-1685 (http://books.google.com/
books?id=xCzLUqFQ3YsC) - Google Books
De las islas filipinas (http://www.filipiniana.net/ArtifactView.do?artifactID=SE0000000018) A historical
account written by a Spanish lawyer who lived in the Philippines during the 19th century
Timeline of Philippine History: Spanish colonization (http://www.philippines-timeline.com/spanish.htm)
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License
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
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