American

Colonial Period
Mr. Kevin Bryan Gaitano
Ms. Suzzaine Asuncion
GE 1210, 7:40 MW
1st Semester,
SY 2022-2023

American Colonial Period

First Phase: 1898-1935
Washington defined its colonial mission as one of tutelage and
preparing the Philippines for eventual independence.

Political organizations developed quickly, and the popularly elected

Philippine Assembly (lower house) and the U.S.-appointed
Philippine Commission (upper house) served as a bicameral
legislature.

The ilustrados formed the Federalista Party, but their statehood

platform had limited appeal. In 1905 the party was renamed the
National Progressive Party and took up a platform of independence.
The Nacionalista Party was formed in 1907 and
dominated Filipino politics until after World War II.
The party leaders participated in a collaborative
leadership with the United States.

A major development emerging in the post-World

War I period was resistance to elite control of the
land by tenant farmers, who were supported by the
Socialist Party and the Communist Party of the
Philippines.

Tenant strikes and occasional violence occurred as

the Great Depression wore on and cash-crop prices
collapsed.
American Colonial Period

Second Phase:

1936-1946
The second period of the rule of
Americans was characterized by the
establishment of the Commonwealth of
the Philippines and occupation by
Japan during World War II.

Establishment of the Commonwealth of the Philippines.

The PH-American War
Friendship and Forgetting
PH-US "Special Relationship"
The relationship was expressed in kinship terms like
“compadre colonialism” and “little brown brother.”

“Mother America” - Since it was said that America nurtured

the Filipino people, the Filipinos was ought to have internal
debt or utang na loob to the US

America has become an intrinsic part of the history of the

Filipino nation-state’s emergence and development.

The goals of the ilustrado leaders of the 1898 revolution

were apparently achieved through intervention of US.
"Resistance was a waste of effort,

an event that was best forgotten."

The Philippine Insurrection was a misunderstanding of the United States' intentions: to
help the Filipinos complete their revolution under their tutelage through what they
call "Benevolent Assimilation"

Viewed as a rejection of gift of further enlightenment.

Many Filipino officers who fought against the US held public office under colonial rule.
PH-US War Timeline

1898 Feb 1899 1901-1902 July 4, 1902

The end of the Spanish
The U.S. Army moved to
Aguinaldo’s and the rest
The official end of the

Colonial Period. The

take possession
of the army surrendered
Philippine-American War.
period lasted until the
ssignalling the start of the
and took the oath of

Philippine Revolution in
Philippine-American War. allegiance to the United

1898. States.
End of 1899
Many of the PH republic’s wealthy and educated supporters had
defected to the Americans.

Antonio Luna had been assassinated by Filipino soldiers allegedly

under orders from General Aguinaldo.

1901
Aguinaldo gradually retreated to the north and was captured in early
1901 and takes the oath of allegiance to the United States in April.

1902
Any further resistance against the US was termed ladronism,
or banditry.

Antonio Luna
Amigo Warfare
The Filipino style of Resistance

Friends Guerillas
The Filipinos were friends during the day or when
At night or when no one was looking, the
confronted. Filipinos were guerillas.

"In order to confuse their identity and

thereby able them more safely conduct
their operations, they have adopted the
uniform of our (US) Army."

Because of mistaken identity, the American

incurred many mishaps and felt frustrated.
Leaders during the War
Famous Leaders Ilustrados Cacique

Antonio Luna Pedro Paterno Ladislao Masangcay

Gregorio del Pilar Felipe Buencamino Local Chief
Mauel Tinio Manuel Arguelles Original "filibuster"
The initiator of the
Norberto Mayo revolution in the town
Rural Ilustrado "Man of prowess"
Barrios ofTiaong "My Colonel"
"Capitan Islao"

Wished to be faithful
to his oath and to be
in the revolution until
he dies in the field or
is captured,
Pacified Towns
Mid 1900 Town centers or poblacions in the Philippines were under U.S. civil or military control.

After 1902 U.S. pacification and education programs managed to transform resistance into a

condition of banditry
“Pacified town” was under a dual government
“Dual government” meant straddling the divide between the colonial and

revolutionary orders

Mid 1901 American governent allowed locale elections

July 20 Pedro Cantos was elected presidente of Tiaong

Rural ilustrado with no military and revolutionary background
Has influence over the commanding officer of the local garrison
In touch with the "inside" (town) and "outside" (countryside)
Counter-Amigo

Warfare and

the New

Colonialism
Policies
The policy of “benevolent assimilation” had not worked because Filipinos were
"semi-civilized and treacherous."

The "policy of permitting no neutrality”— one had to be for or against, not just in
words but also in deeds.

Protected Zones
Filipinos were forced to transfer to town poblacions (where the Americans are)
bringing all their food and property.

Controlled environment where guerillas are outside and their families are inside.

The hub of the protected zone was the church and the U.S. garrison.
 A "Howling Wilderness"
Balangiga Massacre (Sept. 28, 1901)
After the death of 45 American soldiers, a kill and burn operation was ordered to
punish the people - men, women, children

Not only in Balangiga but other areas were also destroyed by the Americans, including
Candelaria (most areas of Quezon in the present)

Barrios were burned, livestock were killed, looting was rampant, Filipinos were
tortured, and women and children were molested
Surrender, redemption,

forgetting
Miguel Malvar
the last Filipino general to surrender to the Americans.
April 16, 1902 - date of Malvar's surrender

Reasons of surrender:
Imprisonment of supporters
Mass destruction in the countryside
Cholera epidemic
Farming was prohibited; no rice crops
Famine
These factors prompted them to surrender:
Sanitation, Health, Education, Tutelage

The Filipinos depended greatly on the US for basic necessities to survive that
resistance was forgotten and only sentiments of utang na loob was
remembered even though the US was responsible for their destruction and
suffering.
 What does it mean to
"bury the past"?
The people wanted to erase a tragic and shameful event from public memory.
The acceptance of a new era.
The establishment of hierarchy and indebtedness to the Americans.
The people cannot be burdened by history.
 The Provincial and Municipal Elites of
Luzon During the Revolution

One of the most significant features of the political situation during the
years 1898-1902 was the emergence of the local elites as the real victors
of the Philippine Revolution. The ground rules established by Aguinaldo
enabled the elites to be the final ruling figures in the Revolution across the
country
 The Provincial and Municipal Elites of
Luzon During the Revolution

The events of 1898 and their impact on the Philippine elite, E.g. the
Ilustrados located in Manila, The most prominent men in the country
had to shift their allegiance to the Aguinaldo regime, but, Shortly after,
they transferred this allegiance to the United States(political and
economic reasons)
 The Provincial and Municipal Elites of
Luzon During the Revolution
Although the effects of the Revolution were heavily felt throughout the
country, the impact on the Elites of Manila and Central Luzon proved to be
the most significant Elite participation was most important during its
second phase (1898-1902) because of postwar settlement and the new
colonizers (yay)
The Revolution
Illicit societies and bandit bands There was no organized Ilustrado
leadership after Aguinaldo went to exile (in Hong Kong, 1897) The
revolution did not stop in central Luzon and Ilocos provinces as
these bandits waged a guerilla war against Spanish forces, killing
priests, officials, and sympathizers Increasing Spanish repression
Guardia de Honor in Pangasinan, worked alongside Katipunan to
continue the insurrection
The Katipunan operated under Teodoro, and Doroteo Pansacula
“Common ownership property” in Zambales Comunidad de bienes

Pansacula advocated that it was time for the “rich to become poor
and the poor to become rich”; the uneducated to
govern and the educated to be subordinate The wealthy and
educated citizens of Zambales labeled them “robbers and bandits”
and began to cooperate with the Spanish
troops in defeating the movement, which led to the migration of
Zambalenos to the mountains.

 Pampanga and Tarlac messianic peasant

organizations
Cruz na Bituin (Crossed stars) and the Santa Iglesia
(Holy Church)
Also advocated for the redistribution of land and
property in Santa Iglesia
: Philippine independence will take place through a
social leveling process
Naturally, Kapampangans were against this, and the
elite refused

The social revolution to eliminate the

Santa Iglesia leadership and control the
movement Rumours of the Spanish-
American War.

The Spanish governor, Basilio Agustin,

created a Filipino militia that included the
Philippine elite


(Paterno, Bautista, etc) Paterno, as leader

of the assembly, demanded an autonomous
government and representation in the
Spanish Cortes (May 31, 1898)
Because the Spanish governor was
desperate for support
against the forces of the US

Visual Presentation
Thank you!

pmp
 BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Scribd. (n.d.). The provincial and municipal elites of Luzon during the Revolution PDF.
Scribd. Retrieved August 16, 2022, from
https://www.scribd.com/document/331673940/The-Provincial-and-Municipal-Elites-
of-Luzon-During-the-Revolution-pdf

Ileto, R. C. (n.d.). Filipinos and their revolution: Event, discourse, and historiography. Google Books.
Retrieved August 16, 2022, from
https://books.google.com/books/about/Filipinos_and_Their_Revolution.html?id=u92ZR42UhpIC

Ileto, R. C. (n.d.). Filipinos and their revolution: Event, discourse, and historiography. Google Books.
Retrieved August 16, 2022, from
https://books.google.com/books/about/Filipinos_and_Their_Revolution.html?id=u92ZR42UhpIC