The islands' economy began to open up during the 19th century.

The rise of an ambitious, more nationalistic

Filipino middle class, consisting of educated native Filipinos, Philippine-born Spaniards and creoles, Spanish mestizos
and an economically entrenched Chinese mestizo community, signaled the end of complete domination by the Spanish.
Enlightened by the Propaganda Movement to the injustices of the Spanish colonial government, they clamored for
independence. José Rizal, the most famous propagandist, was arrested and executed in 1896 for acts of subversion.
Soon after, the Philippine Revolution broke out, pioneered by the KKK (Kataastaasan at Kagalang-galangang Katipunan
ng mga Anak ng Bayan) or Katipunan, a secret revolutionary society founded by Andres Bonifacio and later led by Emilio
Aguinaldo. The revolution nearly succeeded in ousting the Spanish by 1898.

In 1781, Governor-General José Basco y Vargas established the Economic Society of the Friends of the
Country. The Philippines was administered from the Viceroyalty of New Spain until the grant of independence to Mexico in
1821 necessitated the direct rule from Spain of the Philippines from that year. Developments in and out of the country
helped to bring new ideas to the Philippines including the ideals of the French and American Revolutions. In 1863, Queen
Isabella of Spain decreed the establishment of a public school system in Spanish, leading to increasing numbers of
educated Filipinos. The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 cut travel time to Spain. Both of these events prompted the
rise of the ilustrados, an enlightened class of Creoles and Indios, since many young Filipinos were able to study in
Europe.

The first official census in the Philippines was carried out in 1878. The country's population as of December 31,
1877 was recorded at 5,567,685 persons.

Enlightened by the Propaganda Movement to the injustices of the Spanish colonial government and the
"frailocracy", the ilustrados originally clamored for adequate representation to the Spanish Cortes and later for
independence. José Rizal, the most celebrated intellectual and radical illustrado of the era, wrote the novels "Noli Me
Tangere", and "El filibusterismo", which greatly inspired the movement for independence. The Katipunan, a secret
society whose primary purpose was that of overthrowing Spanish rule in the Philippines, was founded by Andrés
Bonifacio who became its Supremo (leader).

The Philippine Revolution began in 1896. Rizal was wrongly accused of implication in the outbreak of the revolution and
executed for treason in 1896. The Katipunan in Cavitesplit into two groups, Magdiwang, led by Mariano Álvarez (a relative
of Bonifacio's by marriage), and Magdalo, led by Emilio Aguinaldo. Leadership conflicts between Bonifacio and Aguinaldo
culminated in the execution or assassination of the former by the latter's soldiers. Aguinaldo agreed to a truce with
the Pact of Biak-na-Bato and Aguinaldo and his fellow revolutionaries were exiled to Hong Kong. Not all the revolutionary
generals complied with the agreement. One, General Francisco Makabulos, established a Central Executive Committee to
serve as the interim government until a more suitable one was created. Armed conflicts resumed, this time coming from
almost every province in Spanish-governed Philippines.

In 1898, as conflicts continued in the Philippines, the USS Maine, having been sent to Cuba because of U.S.
concerns for the safety of its citizens during an ongoing Cuban revolution, exploded and sank in Havana harbor. This
event precipitated theSpanish–American War. After Commodore George Dewey defeated the Spanish squadron at
Manila, the U.S. invited Aguinaldo to return to the Philippines, which he did on May 19, 1898, in the hope he would rally
Filipinos against the Spanish colonial government. By the time U.S. land forces had arrived, the Filipinos had taken
control of the entire island of Luzon, except for the walled city of Intramuros. On June 12, 1898, Aguinaldo declared the
independence of the Philippines in Kawit, Cavite, establishing the First Philippine Republic under Asia's first democratic
constitution.

Simultaneously, a German squadron arrived in Manila and declared that if the United States did not seize the
Philippines as a colonial possession, Germany would. In the Battle of Manila, the United States captured the city from the
Spanish. This battle marked an end of Filipino-American collaboration, as Filipino forces were prevented from entering the
captured city of Manila, an action deeply resented by the Filipinos. Spain and the United States sent commissioners to
Paris to draw up the terms of the Treaty which ended the Spanish–American War. The Filipino representative, Felipe
Agoncillo, was excluded from sessions as the revolutionary government was not recognized by the family of
nations. Although there was substantial domestic opposition, the United States decided neither to return the Philippines to
Spain, nor to allow Germany to annex the Philippines. In addition to Guam and Puerto Rico, Spain was forced in the
negotiations to hand over the Philippines to the U.S. in exchange for US$20,000,000.00,[ which U.S. characterized as "...
a gift from the gods." The first Philippine Republic rebelled against the U.S. occupation, resulting in the Philippine-
American War (1899–1913).

The country opened up during the 19th century. The rise of an ambitious, more nationalistic Filipino middle class,
consisting of educated native Filipinos, Philippine-born Spaniards and creoles, Spanish mestizos and an economically
entrenched Chinese mestizo community, signaled the end of Spanish colonialism in the islands. Enlightened by the
Propaganda Movement to the injustices of the Spanish colonial government, they clamored for independence. José Rizal,
the most famous propagandist, was arrested and executed in 1896 for acts of subversion. Soon after, the Philippine
Revolution broke out, pioneered by the Katipunan, a secret revolutionary society founded by Andres Bonifacio and later
led by Emilio Aguinaldo. The revolution nearly succeeded in ousting the Spanish by 1898.

That same year Spain and the United States fought the Spanish-American War, after which Spain ceded the Philippines
to the United States for US$20 million. The Filipinos had by then declared independence and the subsequent assertion of
American control led to the Philippine-American War that officially ended in 1901, but fighting continued well into 1913.
Independence was finally granted in 1946, after the Japanese had occupied the islands during World War II. The following
period was marred by post-war problems; civil unrest during the unpopular dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos, ousted in
1986; and later, the continuing problem of communist insurgency and Muslim separatism. Philippines Politics National
Government. The government of the Philippines, loosely patterned after the American system, is organized as a
representative republic, with the President functioning as both head of state and government, as well as being the
commander-in-chief of the armed forces. The president is elected by popular vote to a term of 6 years, during which he or
she appoints and presides over the cabinet.

Gomburza and the Colonial Church

See also Separation of church and state in the Philippines

Although many Spanish friars protested abuses by the Spanish government and military they themselves have commited
many abuses and had utilized the government for their own means. Many Filipinos were enraged when Friars blocked the
ascent of highly trained Filipino clergy in the Catholic Church hierarchy. Vast lands were claimed as friar estates from
landless farmers. There were also sexual abuses. 'Anak ni Padre Damaso'(Child of Father Damaso) has become a cliche
to refer to an illegitimate child, especially that of a priest. The matyrdom of Fr. Jose Burgos , Fr. Zammora , and Fr.
Gomez further aggravated mass discontent and is said to indirectly have ignited the Philippine revolution and had a
profound effect on Dr. Jose Rizal. It was in the light of these abuses also that the Philippine Independent Church was
born.
The Philippine Revolution (1896-1898)

Main article: Philippine Revolution

In the late 19th century there was increasing insurgency against Spain, as natives demanded independence. From the
illustrados came a group of students who formed the Propaganda Movement. They did not wish separation from Spain,
but did demand equality and political rights. They spoke out against the injustices of the colonial government and
especially the Catholic friars. Among the propagandists wereJosé Rizal, Marcelo H. del Pilar, and Graciano López Jaena.
Rizal, the most famous of the propagandists, used the words of Christ to further the movement: touch me not (John 20:
13-17); he was executed on December 30, 1896.
The injustices of the Spanish had led to uprisings from the 1600s. The 1872 uprising, in Cavite, was notable since it had a
large effect on the country. The Spanish put this down by executing three Filipino priests: Burgos, Gomez, and Zamora
(see Gomburza). Historians generally agree that this execution marks the start of the Philippine Revolutionary Period.
In 1892 Andres Bonifacio founded a revolutionary society called the Katipunan. By 1896, Filipinos were openly rebelling
against the Spanish and the revolution was spreading throughout the islands. The Filipinos succeeded in taking almost all
Philippine territory, except for Manila.
In 1898 the United States of America went to war with Spain (see: Spanish-American War). The US Navy under George
Dewey attacked the Spanish in Manila Bay by sea as the Filipino forces led by Emilio Aguinaldo attacked by land,
resulting in Spanish surrender.
Faced with inevitable defeat, Spain sued for peace - but instead of surrendering the Philippines to the Filipinos, the
Spanish sold the country to the United States, at the end of the Spanish-American War.
The Filipinos, under Emilio Aguinaldo, declared victory and proclaimed their independence on June 12, 1898 in Cavite
Viejo (now Kawit). Aguinaldo became the first Philippine President and a congress drafted and approved a constitution.
This act was opposed by the United States.