THE IMPACT OF AMERICAN COLONIALISM

American influence and
the legacy of US liberal democracy

• the United States originally supported the Philippine insurrection movement against Spain but later turned the islands into an American colony by virtue of an act passed by the US Congress
  
• American colonial period lasted until World War II following the Japanese invasion in 1940, which devastated the Philippine economy that resulted from the carpet bombing of Manila and Baguio City
  
• The Philippines was granted political independence on 4 July 1946 immediately after WWII but was not given any aid to help the Filipinos reconstruct their devastated economy
  
  
  
  
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Spanish ship Reina Cristina in
the Battle of Manila Bay, at the
turn of the century Spanish-American War



American ship Boston in
the Battle of Manila Bay, at the turn of
the century Spanish-American War

"Away down East"
by Rogers, 1900

American influence in
Philippine politics and economy

• US established democratic elections, universal elementary level education, and English as a second language
  
• Americans failed to implement land reform effectively, which resulted in a highly unequal class structure that prevailed and grew stronger in the post-American period
  
  
  
  
  
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  American influence in Philippine culture

• the Filipinos' familiarity with American culture is very high due to:
  
  1) external migration of Filipinos to the US;
  
  2) an educational system that strongly
       promoted knowledge of American        history  and culture in the colonial        period;  and
  
  3) the prevalence of English media in       the   country
  
  
  
  
  
  
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"Filipino Cowboys"
Peters, 1900
from Harper's Weekly

A Triumphal Parade of Insurgent
Troops in Manila
deThulstrup, 1898
Harper's Weekly

American influence on
Philippine trade and military orientation

• American emphasis on developing agricultural exports and preferential trading partner status led to a dependent colonial economy
  
• American colonial economic policies, along with strong anti-communist strategy in Asia (e.g., maintenance of US naval base in Subic Bay and Clark airbase) led to US support for corrupt Filipino leaders, especially during the Marcos period
  
  
  
  
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