PHILIPPINE INDEPENDENCE FROM SPAIN

1898

The Philippine islands were first claimed as a colony of the Spanish Empire by a group of Spaniards led by Ferdinand Magellan. For the next three centuries, the Philippines became a site in which the Spaniards could acquire a share in the spice trade, as well as develop contacts with China and Japan to further missionary efforts. In 1896, Filipinos resisted and waged Asia's first nationalist revolution led by Emilio Aguinaldo. On June 12th, Aguinaldo declared the Philippines independent from Spain and proclaimed himself as president. 

Today, the Spanish colonization of the Philippines remains apparent due to the Filipinos' Spanish-derived surnames and the prevalence of the Roman Catholic faith.

While the Philippines had anticipated a war with Spain for their independence, they had not anticipated one with the United States just two years later.  At the conclusion of the American-Spanish war in 1898, the United States did not acknowledge the Philippines' declaration of independence and annexed the entire archipelago for $20 million in the Treaty of Paris.