DOCTRINE OF DISCOVERY

The Doctrine of Discovery is a legal and philosophical concept that originated in Europe in the 15th and

16th centuries and was used to justify the colonization and seizure of lands outside of Europe by European

powers. The main idea behind the Doctrine of Discovery was that Christian European powers had a divine

and legal right to claim and govern non-Christian lands and peoples. This idea was based on the belief that

non-Christian peoples were "heathens" and "savages" who lacked civilization and were therefore not

entitled to the same rights and protections as European Christians. The Doctrine asserts that the

discovery of new lands gave the discovering country or monarch the legal and moral right to claim

ownership of those lands and to control the indigenous populations living there. It was based on the

assumption that the lands and resources of the world were "unowned" and "unsettled" before European

arrival, and that European nations had a God-given right to colonize and "civilize" the native peoples they

encountered. This idea was later incorporated into international law and used to justify the forced removal

and subjugation of indigenous peoples, as well as the exploitation of their resources.

The Doctrine has been widely criticized for its role in justifying the colonization and genocide of

indigenous peoples and the destruction of their cultures and ways of life. Many indigenous peoples and

their supporters continue to call for its repudiation and the recognition of the rights of indigenous peoples

to self-determination, sovereignty, and cultural survival. It was also used as a rationalization for European

colonization by justifying the seizure of land and resources from indigenous peoples as a means of

spreading Christianity, bringing civilization to "primitive" societies, and enriching European powers. This

justification was often accompanied by the use of force, violence, and coercion against indigenous peoples

who resisted colonization.

The Doctrine of Discovery had a significant impact on the indigenous peoples of the Philippines, who the

Spanish colonized in the 16th century. The Spanish used the Doctrine of Discovery to assert their right to

claim and govern the Philippines. They justified their conquest of the islands by claiming that the

indigenous peoples were "uncivilized" and in need of Christian conversion. The Spanish imposed their
language, religion, and culture on the indigenous peoples and exploited their labor and resources to

benefit the Spanish empire. The implications of the Doctrine of Discovery in the Philippines are still being

felt today in the form of ongoing struggles for indigenous rights and self-determination. The legacy of

colonization has left many indigenous communities marginalized and economically disadvantaged, and

their cultural traditions and identities have been eroded by centuries of colonization and assimilation

policies. The contemporary issues related to the Doctrine of Discovery in the Philippines include land

rights, resource extraction, and cultural preservation, as indigenous peoples continue to assert their rights

to self-determination and autonomy in the face of ongoing threats to their land, culture, and livelihoods.