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BSN 1A (ANDRADE, KAW, PRINCIPE, RAVALO, CENA, BENDECIO, UMALI)

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AT THE END OF THIS MODULE, YOU ARE EXPECTED TO:
1. to identify American rules in the Phillipines during American
regime;
2. discuss how the Philippine society exist under American
government;
3. Enumerate and explain Filipino uprising against American;
and
4. explain our American heritages.
 American Colonial Policy
American colonial policy in the Philippines was unique in the world of colonialism
because of the following reasons:

1. The Americans said they would go as soon as the Filipinos could stand on their
own as a fee nation. From the beginning, American officials did not want to hold
on to the Philippines as a colony forever.

2. The Americans were kinder and more generous than other colonial powers of
the same era (Germany, Netherlands, France or Britain). The American shared
power with the Filipinos in government.

3. The Filipinos adopted American ways very well. No other former colony like its
other country as much as the Filipinos liked the United States.
The Philippines was ruled by the Americans
in the following ways:

1. Military government (August 14, 1898 3 July

4, 1901) This government was run oy military
generals appointed by the American
president. There were three military
governors: Gen. Wesley Merritt; Gen. Elwell
Otis; and Gen. Arthur McArthur.

2. Civil government (July 4, 1901-August

1902) This government was run by American
civilian officials appointed by the American
president. But later it was run by Filipino
officials elected by Filipinos.
There were several kinds of civilian governments during the
American era. These were: The Philippine Commission; the
American Governor-General together with the Filipino people;
and, the Commonwealth of the Philippines.

Gen. Meritt Gen. Otis Gen. McArthur

WAR OF PHILIPPINE
INDEPENDENCE
FROM THE UNITED
STATES
Manifest
Destiny
 Benevolent Assimilation Proclamation issued on Dec. 21,
1898 the US shall exercise sovereignty over the entire
archipelago.
MANIFEST Aguinaldo issued a counter-proclamation on January 5, 1899
January 20, 1899 - Pres. McKinley appointed the First
DESTINY Philippine Commission to make recommendations in the
administration of the country; this commission was headed
by Dr. Jacob Schurman.
February 4, 1899 - Private Willie Grayson shot and killed a
Filipino soldier. This event triggered the Philippine-American
War (1899-1906).
Bates Treaty - signed by John Bates and Sultan Jamalul
Kiram II of Sulu on August 20, 1899. The Muslims remained
neutral in the war.
February 5, 1899 - the American fleet bombarded the
Filipinos fort north of San Juan del Monte killing Major. Jose
Torres Bugallion.
 February 22, 1899 - Antonio Luna burned American occupied
houses in Tondo and Binondo. Gen. MacArthur and his troops
arrived from the US; they aimed to capture Malolos. s captured
March 31, 1898 - Malolos was captured.
March 6, 1898 - Apolinario Mabini met with the Schurman
Commission to request for a cease-fire but he was refused.

Manifest
-Mabini resigned in the Aguinaldo cabinet and was replaced by

Destiny
Pedro A. Paterno as the head of the new cabinet - Peace Cabinet
headed by Felipe Buencamino negotiated peace with the Americans.
-Antonio Luna met a tragic death.
October 12, 1898 - a full-scale offensive was launched to
capture Pres. Aguinaldo.
- Gregorio del Pilar defended Tirad Pass.
-Januario Galut guided the Americans in Tirad pass which lead to
the death of del Pilar.
-The whereabouts of Aguinaldo was discovered; General Funston
employed the Macabebe scouts to capture Aguinaldo
 Manifest Destiny
April 9, 1898 - Aguinaldo took the oath of allegiance to the United
States.
-Pacificados (Pacifists) led by Pedro Paterno and Felipe Buencamino
which later became Partido Federal headed by Trinidad Pardo de
Tavera wanted to make the Philippines a part of the US. July 02, 1902
3 Pres. Theodore Roosevelt declared that the Philippine-American
War was over.
 A Government Under America
(Timeline)
Philippine Bill (1902)
Philippine Assembly (1907)
Jones Law (1916)
OSROX Mission (1931)
Hare-Hawes Cutting Law (1932)
Tydings McDuffie Law (1934)
Constitutional Convention (1935)
Philippine Commonwealth (1935-1945)
March 16, 1899 - Pres. McKinley appointed
the Taft Commission and gave it legislative
and executive power to put up a civilian
government.
July 4, 1901 - Judge William Howard Taft
became the first civil governor. His policy
― Philippines for Filipinos laid the
foundation of a democratic government.
 Taft’s Achievements
1. The sale of huge tracts of friar lands to Filipinos on installment
terms.
2. Cooper Act/Philippine Organic Act of 1902 3 extends the US Bill of
Rights to Filipinos.
3. First official census was held on March 2, 1899.

Other Political Parties

These parties were organized to counteract the pro-American activities
of the Partido Federal. They were Partido Nacionalista, Partido
Independencia, Partido Democrata, and Partido Conservador.
Gen. Vicente Lukban ambushed American soldiers in Balangiga, Samar.
Gen. Jacob Smith ordered the massacre of all men and children about ten
years of age.
General Miguel Malvar continued to fight for Philippine independence 3He
surrendered to the Americans on April 16, 1902.
 Anti-nationalist Laws
1. Sedition Law - imposed death penalty or long prison term to
those who advocated separation form the US even through
peaceful means.
2. Brigandage Act - punished with death or with a prison term
of not less than 20 years for members of an armed band.
3. Reconcentration Act - this gave the governor general the
power to authorize any provincial governor to reconcentrate
in the towns all residents outlying barrios if outlaws operated
in these areas.
4. Flag Law - prohibited the display of Philippine flag and other
symbols used by the resistance against the US.
 How the Filipinos carried on their fight
for freedom?
1. Theater and literature.
2. Peasant revolts and the Communist Party of the Philippines.
3. Peaceful pressure by the Filipino politicians ending in the
establishment of the Commonwealth of the Philippines in 1935.
 American authorities enacted “Sedition
Law” in 1901. Any Filipino advocating
Arts and independence or separation from the United
Literature States would be punished severely by death
Resistance or imprisonment.

Plays and drama’s advocating

independence were labeled “seditious plays”
Filipinos employed a variety of subterfuges:
allegorical verses, talinhaga, double-
meanings, etc.
Tanikalang Ginto
Juan Abad’s “Tanikalang Ginto”
first produced on July 7, 1902
and banned on May 10, 1903
after performance in
Batangas and was fined Other Dramatist
$2,000.

The supreme court later on

reversed the decision.
 The play revolves around Liwanag (“light,” “the new Pilipinas after departure of
Spain”), who is promised to the hero Kulayaw (“loyal,” the Filipino freedom fighters,
alsothe penname of Abad). Her adopted father Maimbot, (“avaricious” the U.S.)
approves the proposed marriage. However, he later withdraws his consent and
bans Kulayaw from his house. He entreats Liwanag to abandon Kulayaw and tries
tobribe her with gifts. He uses Nagtapon (worthless Filipino collaborators who see a
life at ease under the Americans) to spy on his brother, Kulayaw. Nagtapon disowns
their mother Dalita (poor and suffering Mother Country and the masses). Dalita
dies abandoned by her sons. Maimbot’s gifts fail to move Liwanag so he ties her to
a balete and leaves her to Nagtapon. Kulayaw searches for Liwanag and once he
finds her, Nagtapon kills her. Diwa (<spirit= persistence in struggle) takes Liwanag
to heaven. Diwa promises to Kulayaw that Liwanag will return to him after she has
circled the universe. The play ends with a tableau: Nagtapon is possessed by
demons while Kulayaw is crowned by spirit after delivering an emotional speech.
 Kahapon, Ngayon, at Bukas
Aurelio Tolentino master of subterfuge; was able to weave in the
national anthem and the flag in his plays.

Aurelio Tolention & His

He wrote, directed and played the lead in “Kahapon, Ngayon at
Bukas.”
He was arrested 9 times and sentenced to life imprisonment. His
sentence was later on reduced to 15 years.
He also wrote poems, short stories, sarswelas, essays, editorials
in Talgalog, Spanish and Pampango.
He fought in Bicol during the Fil-Am war.
The play delved on intense love of country exposing foreign
economic control, and a call for armed struggle. Hindi Aco Patay
(I am not Dead) by Juan Matapang Cruz was closed on May 8,
1903 at Teatro Neuva Luna in Malabon. The red sun on the
Katipunan flag that rose behind the stage caused the riot inside
the theater. Cruz was arrested and later imprisoned, which he
served in full.
Hindi Aco Patay (I am not
Dead) by Juan Matapang Cruz
was closed on May 8, 1903 at
Teatro Neuva Luna in Malabon.
The red sun on the Katipunan
flag that rose behind the stage
caused the riot inside the
theater. Cruz was arrested and
later imprisoned, which he Juan Matapang Cruz & His
served in full.
Hindi Aco Patay
 Resistance Groups
General Lucio San Miguel Rizal and Bulacan; they were
captured on March 28, 1903 after some Philippine Scouts
discovered his headquarters in Caloocan and Marikina.
Macario Sakay, Julian Montalan, and Cornelio Felizardo
established in Philippine Republic or the Tagalog Republic which
was the continuation of the Bonifacio Katipunan General
Simeon Olas was the last revolutionary general to surrender
to the Americans on September 25, 1903. Ola took the oath
of allegiance to the United States. They surrendered to the
Americans to save the people from brutality and hunger.
 The Colorums
They were the remnants of Hermano Pule’s Cofradia de San Jose.
During the American occupation, the term colorum was used by the authorities to
refer to rebel organizations with mystical characteristics.
In Tarlac, the colorums worshipped Joses Rizal and Apo Ipe Salvador. Pedro Kabola
3 he founded a secret society called Kapisanan Makabola Makarinag (1923).
They planned to assault the municipal building of San Jose, Nueva Ecija and
execute all the town officials, equally divide the land among the masses, and expel
the Americans from the country. Pedro Calosa 3 he organized a colorum group in
1929.
He and his group marched in Tayug, Pangasinan to spark a revolution. But he was
captured.
He said that many of the colorum members were tenants who were ejected by
hacenderos or small farmers deprived of their lands by land grabbers.
 The First Labor Groups
Isabelo de los Reyes organized the first labor union, the Union de Litografos e
Impresores de Filipinas, in January 1902.
After its founding, the members decided to reorganize themselves into the
Union Oberera Democratica, with its organ La Redencion del Obrero.
Lope K. Santos became the leader of U.O.D.
May 1, 1903 Labor Day was first officially celebrated in the country.
Congreso Obrero de Filipinas approved the resolutions demanding
eight-hour Labor Day, child and women labor laws, and an employer’s
liability law.
Vicente Sotto established Asamblea Obrero which he used to support his
candidacy.
 The First Labor Groups
Joaquin Balmori founded the Federacion del Trabaho to support the
Democratic party while Congreso Obrero del Filipinas backed the
Nationalista Party candidates.
Union ng Magsasaka was formed in 1917 to fight the evils of tenancy and
usury.
Partido Obrero de Filipinas was founded by Crisanto Evangelista,
Domingo Ponce, and Cirilo Bognot in 1924. Its platform showed a strong
Marxist influence.
Evangelista established the Katipunan ng mga Anak-pawis ng Pilipinas or
KAP.
KAP wanted unity among workers, peasants and the exploited masses. It
advocated struggle against America imperialism in the Philippines,
immediate and complete independence of the country, unity among
revolutionary movements all over the world, and an establishment of a
Soviet system in the Philippines.
Antonio Ora was arrested and died reportedly due to an accident while
being taken to prison. The CCP members were skeptical about it and they
staged a demonstration on January 25, 1931. Evangelista and other CCP
leaders were arrested and imprisoned. The Supreme Court declared the
CCP an illegal organization on October 26, 1932.

The Communist Party of the Philippines

 Sakdal Uprising
The Sakdalista (coming from the Tagalog word sakdal, meaning "to
accuse") movement was founded in 1930 by a right-wing leader, Benigno
Ramos, a writer and discontented former government clerk. The name
of the movement was based on Émile Zolas 1898 letter criticizing the
French government, Jaccuse.
Sakdal began as a fortnightly populist tabloid, with articles tackling
issues which were of interest to the Philippine masses: corruption and
mismanagement under the American-sponsored Nacionalista
administration, immediate independence for the Philippines, and the land
reform problem.
 Sakdal Uprising
Investigators concluded that the motive behind the uprising was the
worsening economic condition.
The elite bitterly criticized the uprising; MLQ called its leader (Benigno
Ramos) “and irresponsible and crafty demagogue.”
Colonial authorities and media described the Sakdalistas “astonighingly
ignorant,” “economically helpless,” “victims of the local cacique”, and
“the remorseless usurers.”
They believe that the country’s God-given riches was controlled
by the Catholic church, foreigners and a few rich Filipinos.

What they believe

They see politicians’ lack of will to achieve independence.
This task should not be left to those who had lost the ability to

in Sakdal?
suffer and work hard for the sake of the country.
They are living examples of honor, being oppressed and poor,
and possessing pure hearts capable of humility, compassion and
sacrifice.
They emulate the life of Jesus Christ and the heroes of 1896
revolution particularly Jose Rizal.
They considered their work as a mission with a heavy cross to
be borne.
Upon occupying the municipal building, they destroyed the stars
and stripes; there was no looting or burning.
They confiscated pistols and issued receipt; they fed the

What they believe

passengers of the buses they stopped.
They did this because of their belief that they must be
honorable, true representatives of the people and heirs of the

in Sakdal?
1896 struggle for independence.
They want to show the world they are not accepting passively
the terms of American colonialism.
Political and economic freedom cannot be fully realized if their
soul remained subjects to alien rule.
Sakdal uprising may be a failure in the eyes of the outsiders, but
to insiders, they were able to show the true meaning of being
Sakdalistas: to be honorable though poor, to know how to
sacrifice, and to live and die with dignity
 On May 2, 1935, 150 peasants marched to the
municipal hall of San Ildefonso, Bulacan and hauled
down the American and Philippine flags and raised the
red Sakdal flag. The peasants were no match to the
constabulary troops who suppressed the uprisings.
Fifty-seven peasants were killed, hundreds were
wounded, and others were imprisoned. Benigno Ramos
who was in Japan denied his involvement on the May 2
incident. Many peasants withdrew their support for
Ramos.
 ECONOMIC
PROGRESS
UNDER AMERICA
 • In the beginning, American policy was
unselfish. The Phlippine Bill of 1902
American Economic declared that all publlc lands and natural
resources were for "the benefit of the
Policy inhabitants." This pro- Fillpino policy was
repeated in the Jones Law of 1916 and
Tydings- McDuffie Law of 1934.
• Some American officlals gave better
treatment to Amerlcans doing business or
working in the Philippines.
• The economy then was developed
largely by American and pro- American
Fllpinos.
 •Population explosion.
New Prosperity of the • New land policy:
Philippines as A Colony 1. Friar lands were resold to
Filipino farmers.
of America
2. Homestead Act (1924)
allowed Filipinos to own up to 24
hectares of public land.
3. All lands had to be registered,
and their owners got the Torrens
title.
AGRICULTURAL INCREASE

In 1903, the American Congress

sent $3M emergency fund to
import rice and carabao from
other Asia Country.
 •Philippine products (copra, sugar, cigars,
hemp, etc.) were sold to the Americans
while American products (cars, radios,
appliances, cigarettes, etc.) were bought by

Free Trade Filipinos.

•Under the free trade agreement, Filipino
products entered the United States without

with America paying custom tariffs. There was a limit or

quota to the amount of tax-free Filpino
products. American products could also
enter the Philippines without paying custom
tariffs, but they were not limited by quotas.
•Business boom retail trade inside the
Philippines doubled from 1907-1935. Filipinos
had more money to buy food, shoes, clothes,
radios, toys, bicycles, and even cars.
However, the Fillpinos liked to buy more
imported goods.
•New industries 3 The Philippines entered the Industrial Age (which favored the
use of machines and the mass production of goods in big factories) 3 Mining and
fishing became big industries 3 Household cottage industries boomed 3 The
Americans developed the coconut and hemp industries and they took over the sugar
and tobacco industries.
•Improvement in transportation and communication. The Filipinos enjoyed the
automobile, electric street car (tranvia), roads and railroads, postal services,
airplane, telephone, wireless telegraph, radio, and movies.
•Better budget 3 the Philippine budget was balanced even during the Great World
Depression in the 1930's.
•In the 1930's, other governments including the U.S. itself had huge deficit and
problems but the Philippine's colonial budge had a surplus. 3 New banks. 3
International exhibitions and meetings.
 •We sold our raw materials cheap and bought
Economic expensive manufactured goods from
Problems America. We did not develop our own
industries enough because we were spoiled by
the free trade with America.
•Colonial mentality became worse. We
wrongly thought that imported/American
products were high class. It was bad because
we forgot to develop our native product.
The American
Occupation &
The Suppression
of Filipino
Nationalism
• Labor and peasant unrest spread in the 1920's and 1930's.
Many strikes in the cities and violent revolts in the provinces
were caused by radical groups like the Communist Party of
the Philippines.
• American capitalists and businessmen controlled the new
companies. Some of these American businessmen came to
the Philippines as soldiers or government officials.
They used their connections in the colonial government to
become millionaires in a short time. For example, by 1935
American companies controlled 335 of the sugar industries,
53% of hemp, and 60% of copra. They also controlled the
utilities, railroads, shipping, radio and newspapers.
Our American Heritage
•The Bible and religious freedom
•Training in democracy
•Free education
•Better health
•English language
• Free press
• Diet and dress
• Democratic family life and social classes
•Women's rights
•Recreation
•Movies and vaudeville
•Music and dance
•Art
•Science
•American blood
1. The Philippines, together with Cuba and Puerto Rico was acquired by
the United States through the Treaty of Paris. The treaty ended the
Spanish-American War. The US paid Spain $20 million for annexing the
Philippines.
2. Aside from economic and political reasons, the United State also used THINGS TO
different justifications to defend their action of annexing the Philippines.
For instance, they invoked the white man's burden a widely held belief
among Westerners that they have a moral duty to civilize the non-whites REMEMBER!
such as the Filipinos. Likewise, their belief in manifest destiny also fueled
their territorial expansion towards the Pacific.
3. There were different responses to the plans of the United States to
annex the Philippines. While it was clear that President Miliam McKinley
wanted to acquire the Philipines, the Anti-imperialist League opposed the
imperialist design of the United States.
4. Tensions between the forces of Aguinaldo and of the United States
quickly escalated following the ratification of the Treat of Paris and the
release of the McKinley's Benevolent Assimilation Proclamation. The San
Juan Bridge incident led to the Philippine-American War of 1899.
5. The surrender of Emilio Aguinaldo on March 23, 1901 officially ended
the Philippine American War but Fililpino resistance to the US continued
until 1910.
6. Following the Philippine-American War,
the United States colonial government in the
Philippines, particularly through its legislative
body4the Philipine Commission tried to
strengthen the colonial order and to defeat the
remaining revolutionary forces in the islands.
By enacting a number of legislations like the
Sedition Law, Brigandage Law, Flag Law, and
Libel Law, the Americans were able to
suppress native resistance and nationalism,
thus the era of suppressed nationalism.
 Readings
(Primary Sources)
•Treaty of Paris
• The Benevolent Assimilation Proclamation
. Address Adopted by the Anti-lmperialist League
• Primary Sources on Philippine-American War
• Act No.277 or The Libel Law of 1901
• El Renacimiento's "Aves de rapifa"
• Act No. 292 or The Sedition Law of 1901
Act No. 1696 or The Flag Law of 1907 and Act No. 518 or The Brigandage Law of 1902
• Philippine Organic Act of 1902 or Cooper Act
 References
•Halili, Maria Christine N. (2010). Philippine
History. Second Edition. Manila: Rex Book
Store.

•Zaide, Gregorio F. and Sonia M. Zaide.

(2004). Philippine History and Government.
Quezon City: All Nations Publishing Co.,
Inc.http://www.slideshare.ne