This is a primary activity administered to determine your baseline

knowledge and preparedness for the lesson.

Activity: Historical Background of Philippine Literature

I. Direction: Read in advance the history of Philippine Literature and tell us
how our literature evolves in the following periods.

1. Pre-colonial Period
The cultural achievements of pre-colonial Philippines include those covered by the
prehistory and the early history (900–1521) of the Philippine archipelago's inhabitants,
the indigenous forebears of today's Filipino people. Among the cultural achievements of
the native people's belief systems, and culture in general, that are notable in many
ethnic societies, range from agriculture, societal and environmental concepts, spiritual
beliefs, up to advances in technology, science, and the arts.

2. Spanish Colonization Period

Spanish colonialism began with the arrival of Miguel López de Legazpi's expedition
on February 13, 1565, from Mexico. ... After this, the colony was directly governed by
Spain. Spanish rule ended in 1898 with Spain's defeat in the Spanish–American War.
The Philippines then became a territory of the United States.

3. Nationalistic/Propaganda and Revolutionary Period

Propaganda Movement, reform and national conciousness
movement that arose among young Filipino expatriates in the late 19th
century. Although its adherents expressed loyalty to the Spanish
colonial government, Spanish authorities harshly repressed the
movement and executed its most prominent member, Jose Rizal

4. American Colonial Period

It began with the outbreak of the Spanish–American War in April 1898, when the Philippines was still
a colony of the Spanish East Indies, and concluded when the United States formally recognized the
independence of the Republic of the Philippines on July 4, 1946.

With the signing of the Treaty of Paris on December 10, 1898, Spain ceded the Philippines to the
United States, thereby beginning the era of American colonialization. [1] The interim U.S. military
government of the Philippine Islands experienced a period of great political turbulence, characterised
by the Philippine–American War.

Chapter II: Historical Background of Philippine Literature 1

Beginning in 1901, the military government was replaced by a civilian government—the Insular
Government of the Philippine Islands—with William Howard Taft serving as its first Governor-
General. Also, a series of insurgent governments that lacked significant international and diplomatic
recognition existed between 1898 and 1904.

5. Japanese Occupation
occurred between 1942 and 1945, when Imperial Japan occupied the Commonwealth of the
Philippines during World War II.
The invasion of the Philippines started on 8 December 1941, ten hours after the attack on Pearl
Harbor. As at Pearl Harbor, American aircraft were severely damaged in the initial Japanese attack.
Lacking air cover, the American Asiatic Fleet in the Philippines withdrew to Java on 12 December
1941. General Douglas MacArthur was ordered out, leaving his men at Corregidor on the night of 11
March 1942 for Australia, 4,000 km away. The 76,000 starving and sick American and Filipino
defenders in Bataan surrendered on 9 April 1942, and were forced to endure the infamous Bataan
Death March on which 7,000–10,000 died or were murdered. The 13,000 survivors on Corregidor
surrendered on 6 May.
Japan occupied the Philippines for over three years, until the surrender of Japan. A highly effective
guerilla campaign by Philippine resistance forces controlled sixty percent of the islands, mostly
jungle and mountain areas. MacArthur supplied them by submarine, and sent reinforcements and
officers.

6. Contemporary/Modern Period
The return of democracy and government reforms beginning in 1986 were hampered by national
debt, government corruption, coup attempts, disasters, a persistent communist insurgency, and a
military conflict with Moro separatists. During Corazon Aquino's administration, U.S. forces withdrew
from the Philippines, due to the rejection of the U.S. Bases Extension Treaty,and leading to the
official transfer of Clark Air Base in November 1991 and Subic Bay to the government in December
1992. The administration also faced a series of natural disasters, including the eruption of the Mt.
Pinatubo in June 1991. After introducing a constitution that limited presidents to a single term,
Aquino did not stand for re-election. Aquino was succeeded by Fidel V. Ramos. During this period
the country's economic performance remained modest, with a 3.6% percent GDP growth rate.
Political stability and economic improvements, such as the peace agreement with the Moro National
Liberation Front in 1996, were overshadowed by the onset of the 1997 Asian financial crisis.

Chapter II: Historical Background of Philippine Literature 2