Objectives

• To identify how the US entered the Philippines and

how the Filipino-American war started.
• Determine the reason behind US conquest of the
Philippines and instrumentalities they employ to
pacify the Filipinos.
• To learn and master the US policies, especially in
economy, politics and culture.
• To learn the reactions of Filipinos to American rule.
• To determine the positive/negative influences of
American rule.
 Introduction
The conquest of the Philippines by the
Americans was part of its grand expansionist
plan in late 19th Century. After the US underwent
an industrial revolution that led to overpopulation
with so much excess products that can’t be
consumed by the American public, its economy
experienced depression. To avert the negative
impact of the economic crisis, the US started to
look for countries where they can dump their
excess products.
 The Colonial Program
(Benevolent Assimilation)
Reasons behind American Colonization
 Economically – they where in search for new
markets for their excess products, for cheap
source of raw materials and labor and to use
the Philippines as a spring board to
penetrate China trade.
 Politically – they wanted to make the
Philippines as the American’s fist line of
defense in Asia by putting military bases
overseas comprise their political agenda;
and the expansion of Protestantism came
as their cultural motive behind American
conquest of the Philippines.
 White Men’s Burden
A colonial program which was disguise
into altruistic program which concealed
the true objective behind colonization of
the Philippines.
 Other Objectives of US

I. To pursue or manifest the destiny of US as

a world power.
II. To use Philippines as a source of raw
materials for the US industries and as a
market for US manufactured products.
III. To use Philippines as military and naval
bases and refueling port servicing their
interest in China.
 Filipino-American War

February 4, 1899 – It all started when

Pvt. Willie Grayson shot a Filipino sentry
who was passing in San Juan Bridge.
 To suppress the Filipino rebels in
Luzon, Americans assigned military
officers like Henry Lawton, Payton
March, Frederick Funston among
others, proving their superior way of
fighting.
February 20, 1899 – Under the
command of Marcus Miller, the
Americans took Ilo-ilo in Visayas.

February 22, 1899 – Cebu was taken

captive.
 Bates Treaty

US sent John Bates to negotiate a

peace agreement with Sultan of Jolo by
means of treaty.
The treaty was failure.
 Brutalities During the War
 Americans deviated from basic rules of
civilized welfare.
 Assault are made; women and childrens
became part of the punishment upon men.
 Torture techniques; water cure, rope cure,
and reconcentration camp were applied to
Filipinos.
 Reconcentration Act

To facilitate the apprehension of

guerillas hidden or protected by people.
Instrumentalities of Pacification and
American Colonial Policies
 The Americans commissioned thousand
of researches to gather accurate
information about colony.
 Their task is to determine the worth of the
Philippines in terms of resources that can
be opened and exploited for American
investors.
Cooptation of the Elites

The allegiance and support of the Filipino

elites or illustrado, the intellectual sector of
the Philippine society was secured by
Americans.
Leading Filipino Collaborators and
Supporters of Americans

 Pardo de Tavera
 Cayetano Arellano
 Gregorio Araneta
 Pedro Paterno
 Felipe Buencamino
Terms of Treaty of Bates
• American’s occupation of Jolo
• Sultan can continue to collect taxes in
areas outside US teritories
• Sultan would receive monthly salaries from
US government in Mexican currency
• Sultan could continue engaging in domestic
trade within Sulu archipelago.
Thomasites and the Pensionado
Program

As part of part of their military

strategy, the US government deployed
hundreds of teacher-soldiers throughout
the archipelago who propagated the
benefits of American culture.
• Pensionado Program – Filipinos were
sent to US as government scholars .
They were trained the art of public
administration.
 Peace Propaganda
Local elites, bureaucrats and women elites
were used as peace propagandists. Women from
upper class were used by the Americans in their
peace campaign against Filipino rebels.

Liga Femenina de Paz – prominent women’s group

peace propagandist headed by Constancia Poblete.
 Suffrage and Election
 Only upper class benefited from electoral
processes.
 Only 2% of the total population was allowed
to join this exercise.
 Those with college education, who
occupied position in government and who
can speak English or Spanish are qualified
to vote.
 American Colonial Policies
TAFT’S POLICY “PHILIPPINES FOR THE FILIPINOS”
• Endorsed by Governor-General William Howard Taft
in 1903.

• This policy promises to put the administration of the

Philippines into the hands of Filipinos.

• Aims to give the Filipinos the benefits of American

education.
 TAFT’S POLICY “PHILIPPINES FOR THE
FILIPINOS”

In real sense, this policy worked

for the enhancement of American
economic control and dependency.
COLONIAL GOVERNMENT AND POLITICAL
TUTELAGE

• Taft Commission took over from the

military governor in September 1900
the power to make laws.

• Initial step in the establishment of

civil government in Philippines was
undertaken by the Taft Commission.
• The Spooner Amendment in 1901
empowered the US president to
administer the Philippines.

• The Spooner Bill sets up a civil

government in the Philippines.
• Cooper Act is also known as the
Philippine Bill of 1902 or the Organic
Bill.

• Cooper Act provided for the

establishment of Philippine
Assembly. It is when the Americans
opened the government to Filipinos
and shared power.
• Second Philippine Commission or
Taft Commission enacted the
Municipal Code in January 31,
1901.

• Municipal Code provides the

organization of municipalities.
• 1907- The first 2 national
elections for the Philippine
Assembly were held.

• Two Parties:
– Partido Progresista
– Partido Nacionalista
 COLONIAL GOVERNMENT AND
POLITICAL TUTELAGE

Sergio Osmeña- house speaker. Manuel L. Quezon- majority floor

leader.
• The founding of National Assembly
has never worked for genuine
independence.
 ECONOMIC POLICIES AND
DEVELOPMENT
• Transportation and
Communication

• Trade Policies

• Land Policy
 TRANSPORTATION AND
COMMUNICATION
• Infrastructures and road-building
programs were financed heavily by
Filipino taxpayers and were designed
to satisfy American needs.

• Roads facilitate the collection of

agricultural crops and other raw
materials.
• Kennon Road was constructed
which allows the American mining
corporation to penetrate Benguet
gold depots.

• Bicol Express (1930s) connects

Bicol to Dagupan. Used to market
US finished products.
 TRADE POLICIES
Trade Policies which Suggested
Inequality:
–Payne-Aldrich Act
–Underwood-Simons Act
–Tariff Act of 1901
–Philippine Bill of 1902
–Bell Trade Act of 1945
 TRADE POLICIES
• From 1899 to 1908, Philippines’
biggest trade partners were only
US and Great Britain.
 LAND POLICY
• Friar Lands Act (October 1904). It
allows the government to buy big
friar haciendas and to be parcelled
out to those who will apply for
them.

• The rich were able to acquire

additional lands.
 LAND POLICY
• Torrens System (adopted from
Australia) is a land-system that
extends the time frame for land
registration to 2 years.

• Hacienda System was introduced in

late Spanish rule and was
strengthened under American rule.
Independence Missions and the
Commonwealth

November 1918 – the

Commission of Independence was
created by the Philippine Legislature
for the purpose of studying all matters
related to the negotiation and
organization of the Philippine
Independence.
 Hare-Hawes-Cutting Act
• An act establishing a 10-year
Commonwealth period to serve as a
transition before the proclamation of
independence.
 Commonwealth Period
• Filipinos learned how to run
government of their own.
• Quezon was able to strengthen the
National Security & Defense, Social
Justice Program, and the Education.
• The Filipinos made solutions in
encouraging some sectors to help the
economic recovery, restructuring the
social structure, and tied up
relationship with the US.
 Balance sheet of American Occupation:
Pluses and Minuses
Positive Result
Education and Democracy
Introduction of scientific program in
public health and welfare
Trade commerce and industry,
transportation and communication,
individual freedoms.
Political consciousness and
awareness of the Filipinos in language
and literature.
Negative Result
Filipinos became imitative
Filipinos lost their socio-cultural
heritage and values due to colonial
mentality
Filipinos became too dependent on
the Americans
Economic dependency of the Filipinos