SPANISH PERIOD

THE DISCOVERY OF PHILIPPINES BY

FERDINAND MAGELLAN ( 1521)

• On this day March 17th, in 1521, Portuguese explorer

Ferdinand Magellan discovers the Philippines. Magellan’s
expedition was the first to enter in from the Atlantic and sail
through the Pacific. The Philippines were claimed in the
name of Spain in 1521 by Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese
explorer sailing for Spain, who named the islands after King
Philip II of Spain.
 STATUS OF THE PHILIPPINES DURING
SPANISH PERIOD
• During the Spanish colonial period, which lasted from 1565 to 1898, the
Philippines was under the control of the Spanish Empire. This period is
often referred to as the "Spanish East Indies" or the "Philippine Islands" in
historical contexts.
• The Spanish colonial period had a significant impact on the Philippines,
particularly in terms of culture, religion, and language. The Spanish
introduced Christianity, particularly Roman Catholicism, which remains
the dominant religion in the country today. They also introduced the Latin
alphabet, which replaced the traditional Baybayin script, and Spanish
became the official language of the Philippines.
• The Spanish also established a hierarchical social structure, with the
Spanish ruling class at the top, followed by the mestizos (people of mixed
Spanish and Filipino ancestry), and then the indigenous Filipinos at the
bottom. This social structure persisted even after the end of Spanish rule.