PHILIPPINE ISLANDS
HISTORY-
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In his trip around the world, Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese, in the service of Spain, discovered the Philippine Islands on March 16th, 1521. Spain, claiming the country, colonized it in 1565, when Legaspi, the first. Governor of the Philippines, founded the first Spanish settlement in Cebu. The city of Manila was founded June 24th, 1571.
The early history of the Philippines is a record of continual trouble. Conflicts. between the civil and ecclesiastical authorities led to internal contentions, while both Portugal and the Netherlands coveted these rich possessions and harassed the Spaniards. In 1606 the Dutch blockaded the ports with five ships, which were, however, destroyed by the Spanish fleet. Attacks were also made at different points by powerful Chinese piratical fleets. The most celebrated of these was the invasion by Li Ma Hong, who with 2,000 men landed at Manila in 1574,,but was defeated and driven out by the Spaniards and natives, under the leadership of Juan de Salcedo. In 1762 the capital was taken by the English, the private property of the inhabitants being saved from plunder on the condition of the payment of a ransom of £1,000,000, half of which was paid in money and the other half in bills upon the Spanish Treasury. In the meantime, however, peace had been concluded, and the islands were restored to Spain, payment of the balance of the indemnity not being insisted upon.
The Filipinos were given representation in the Spanish Cortes in 1810. The galleon trade instituted by the Spanish Government ending in 1815. The port of Manila was opened to the commerce of the world in 1830. With the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, direct mail service with Spain was inaugurated and railroads and telegraphs were introduced into the Islands. Attempts to throw off the Spanish yoke were made in 1822, 1841, 1842, 1872 and 1896. On June 12th, 1897, Philippine Inde- pendence was proclaimed in Cavite, and the. Philippine flag was officially unfurled, Upon the outbreak of hostilities between the United States and Spain in 1898, the Insurgents offered to co-operate with the former. The offer was accepted with the result that while the Americans took and held the city of Manila, the Insurgents overthrew Spanish authority throughout the remainder of the Island of Luzon and established a government of their own with General Aguinaldo as Dictator. Com- modore Dewey sank the Spanish squadron in Manila Bay on May 1st, 1898. The Philippine Republic was established on January 23rd, 1899. The Treaty of Paris, providing for the cession of the Philippine Islands to the United States, was ratified by the Senate of the United States on February 6th, 1899. Civil government was established in the Islands on July 4th, 1901. The first Philippine Assembly was inaugurated on October 16th, 1907. On August 29th 1916 the Philippine Organic Act, commonly known as the Jones Law, came into force, establishing a systein of government which continued until November 15th 1935. Under this Act the Chief Executive was the Governor-General, appointed by the President of the United States and representing the sovereign power of the United States. Under him was the Vice- Governor, also appointed by the President, who, in addition to assuming the functions of the Governor-General during the latter's absence, held the appointment of Secretary of Public Instruction. There were six other executive departments, each under a Secretary. The legislative branch consisted of a Senate of 24 members and a House of Representatives of 93 members, mostly elected by popular franchise. From the time of the enactment of the Jones Law there was a progressive increase of Filipino participation in the administration, so that by 1935 very few American Officials remained..
GOVERNMENT
On March 24th 1934 an Act of the Congress of the United States providing for the complete independence of the Philippine Islands (commonly called the Tydings- McDuffie Act) came into force. Under this law the Philippine Legislature was authorised to arrange for the drafting of a Constitution, which, after approval by the President of the United States, was to be submitted to a plebiscite of the Filipino people. Thereafter an election of Officers of the new government was to be held, and, upon proclamation by the President of the United States, they were to take over the duties and functions of the existing government. The sovereignty of the United States was to continue until July 4th following the expiration of a period of ten years from the date of the inauguration of the new government.ş.