Table of Contents

Course Details ............................................................................................................................................... ii

Course Description ........................................................................................................................................ ii
Lecture .......................................................................................................................................................... 1
The Spanish-American War....................................................................................................................... 1
Paris Negotiations ................................................................................................................................. 1
Significant .............................................................................................................................................. 2
The abolition of Spanish rule and the establishment of the First Philippine Republic ............................. 3
The Guerrilla Warfare. .............................................................................................................................. 4
Casualties .............................................................................................................................................. 5
Impact of American Colonialism ............................................................................................................... 5
Education and the School System ......................................................................................................... 5
Trade and Industry ................................................................................................................................ 6
Public Health and Welfare .................................................................................................................... 6
Transportation and Communication ..................................................................................................... 6
Democracies and Civil Liberties ............................................................................................................ 6
Political Parties ...................................................................................................................................... 6
Language and Literature ....................................................................................................................... 7
Negative Impact of American Rule ........................................................................................................... 7
The Philippine Commonwealth (1935-1941) ............................................................................................ 7
National Defense Act of 1935 ................................................................................................................... 8
Office of the Military Advisor ................................................................................................................ 9
Military Districts .................................................................................................................................... 9
Reserve Training.................................................................................................................................... 9
Officer Training ..................................................................................................................................... 9
Summary ..................................................................................................................................................... 10
Assignment.................................................................................................................................................. 11
References .................................................................................................................................................. 11

i
Course Details

Program : Bachelor of Science in Psychology

Level/Placement : Level 4, 2nd Semester
Course Title : Manila Studies
Course Code : GEIS01
No. of Units : 3
Pre-requisite : None

Course Description

Module Title : American Period

Module Number : 4

Total Study Hours : Online Lecture

Module Writer : Ernesto S. Faraon

Module Learning Contacts : Ernesto S. Faraon; faraones@gmail.com; Consultation days

and hours: Wednesday: 1:00pm - 5:00pm

Module Introduction/Aims
: This module's aim is to aid and guide students in gaining a
greater understanding of the impact of American
colonization in the Philippines, namely in Manila. The
debate, description, and explanation in this module are
intended to teach students the value of understanding what
Manila was like in the past and how it grew into what it is
today. By completing this module, students will gain a
deeper grasp of Manila's history.

Module Learning Outcomes : Evaluate the impact of American colonization in the

Philippines | Manila
State and explain the advantages and disadvantages of
American colonization in the Philippines |Manila
Give the consequences of American colonization in the
Philippines | Manila.

Teaching and Learning Activities : Online lecture, exercises, collaborative learning

Assessment Methods : Quiz, assignment, recitation, rubrics

ii
Lecture
The Philippine-American war was a fight between the United States and Filipino rebels that lasted from
1899 to 1902. It was an insurgency that may be considered as a continuation of the Philippine Revolution
against Spanish rule, which began in 1898. It began when the United States gained control over the
Philippines as a result of Spain's loss in the Spanish-American War in the early twentieth century.
However, intermittent combat continued for several years after the official end of the insurrection was
declared in 1902.

The Spanish-American War

The war between the United States and Spain in 1898 came after three years of fighting by Cuban
insurgents in their quest for independence from Spanish rule. The conflict in Cuba, which was taking place
so close to the coast of Florida, captivated Americans. As a result of growing concerns about the United
States' economic interests in the region, as well as public outrage at the brutal tactics of the Spanish
military, public sympathy for the Cuban revolutionaries has grown. Following an increase in tensions
between the United States and Spain, the explosion of the United States battleship Maine in Havana
harbor on February 15, 1898, pushed both countries to the brink of war.

President William McKinley was authorized to use military force by the United States Congress on April
20, 1898, in recognition of Cuban independence, in demand that Spain relinquish control of the island,
and in recognition of Cuban independence. When Spain refused to comply with the United States'
ultimatum, McKinley imposed a naval blockade of Cuba and called for the recruitment of 125,000 U.S.
military volunteers. On April 24, Spain declared war on the United States, and the following day, the
United States Congress voted to declare war on Spain as well.

When the United States Navy defeated a Spanish armada defending the Philippines on May 1, 1898, it
was known as the Battle of Manila Bay. It was the first battle of the Spanish-American War. US troops
invaded Cuba at Guantanamo Bay and Santiago de Cuba between June 10 and June 24, according to
official reports. The Spanish Army had been defeated in Cuba, and the United States Navy destroyed the
Spanish Caribbean armada on July 3, 1898. On July 26, the Spanish government requested that the
McKinley administration meet with them to discuss peace terms. After a cease-fire agreement was
reached on August 12, it was agreed that a peace treaty would be negotiated in Paris by the end of the
year.

Paris Negotiations

On October 1, 1898, representatives of the United States and Spain convened in Paris to begin
negotiations for a peace settlement. A delegation from the United States demanded that Spain recognize
and guarantee the independence of Cuba, as well as that Spain transfer possession of the Philippines to
the United States. In addition, the United States demanded that Spain pay Cuba's estimated $400 million
national debt, which Spain refused to do.

With Cuban independence in hand, Spain reluctantly agreed to sell the Philippines to the United States
for a sum of $20 million dollars. Spain also agreed to pay back the $400 million Cuban debt by transferring

1
possession of Puerto Rico and the Mariana Island of Guam to the United States, which was previously
under Spanish control.

Spain demanded that it be permitted to retain control of the Philippine capital city of Manila, which had
been captured by United States forces just hours after the cease-fire agreement was signed on August 12.
The United States refused to take the demand into consideration. The treaty was signed on December 10,
1898, by representatives from Spain and the United States, and it is now up to the governments of the
two countries to ratify it.

Despite the fact that Spain signed the agreement a few days later, ratification in the United States Senate
was met with fierce opposition by senators who viewed it as establishing an unconstitutional policy of
American "imperialism" in the Philippines. The treaty was ratified by a single vote on February 6, 1899,
after weeks of debate in the United States Senate. It was on April 11, 1899, that the United States and
Spain exchanged ratification documents that the Treaty of Paris came into effect.

Significant

Despite the fact that the Spanish-American War was short in duration and relatively inexpensive in terms
of dollars and lives, the Treaty of Paris that followed it had a long-lasting impact on both Spain and the
United States, as well as on the world at large.

While Spain initially suffered as a result of the terms of the treaty, it eventually benefited from being
forced to abandon its imperialistic ambitions in favor of concentrating on the many internal needs that
had been neglected for so long. Indeed, the war resulted in a modern Spanish renaissance in terms of
both material and social interests, which continues to this day. Agricultural, industrial, and transportation
advancements were rapid in Spain following World War II, particularly over the following two decades.

Salvador de Madariaga, a Spanish historian who published a book in 1958 titled Spain: A Modern History,
stated that "Spain believed at the time that the era of overseas explorations had passed and that her
future lay in the country she had grown up in. Her gaze, which had for centuries been drawn to the far
reaches of the globe, had at long last returned to her own ancestral home."

It is possible that the United States arose as the world's newest superpower as a result of the Paris peace
talks, whether on purpose or not. The country's strategic territorial possessions stretch from the
Caribbean to the Pacific. Economically, the United States gained new trade markets in the Pacific, the
Caribbean, and the Far East, which helped the country prosper economically. In 1893, the McKinley
administration used the terms of the Treaty of Paris as part of its justification for annexing the Hawaiian
Islands, which were still considered independent at the time.

2
The abolition of Spanish rule and the establishment of the First Philippine Republic

In the Philippines, there had been numerous quasi-religious

uprisings during the more than 300 years of colonial rule, but
the writings of José Rizal and others in the late nineteenth
century helped to spark a more broad-based movement for
Philippine independence in the early twentieth century.
Angered by Spain's refusal to reform its colonial government,
an armed rebellion broke out in the country in 1896. Rizal, who
had advocated reform rather than revolution, was assassinated
on December 30, 1896, for sedition; his martyrdom fueled the
revolution, which was led by the young general Emilio
Aguinaldo at the time.

In the meantime, in Cuba, a new movement for independence

from Spanish rule was gaining momentum. Following the
sinking of the USS Maine in Havana a month earlier, the United
States issued an ultimatum to Spain, demanding that it submit
to U.S. arbitration and eventually relinquish control of the
Caribbean Island nation. When it became clear that the United Emilio Aguinaldo
States would go to war with Spain, Assistant Secretary of the
Navy Theodore Roosevelt placed the United States Asiatic squadron in Hong Kong on high alert. In April,
after the United States declared war on Spain, Commodore George Dewey sailed from Hong Kong and
defeated the Spanish fleet in
Manila Bay on the morning of
May 1, but he was unable to take
control of the city until ground
troops reached the city three
months later.

Meanwhile, on June 12, the

Filipinos declared their
independence from Spain and
established a provisional
republic, with Aguinaldo as its
leader. Across the Pacific, the
American Anti-Imperialist
League began to take shape
within a few days of its formation on the other side of the Pacific. Although it began as a small group of
people opposed to American involvement in the Philippines, it quickly developed into a mass movement
that attracted supporters from across the political spectrum. A number of notable figures, including social
reformer Jane Addams, industrialist Andrew Carnegie, philosopher William James, and author Mark
Twain, were members of the organization.

The city of Manila fell on August 13 after a bloodless "battle." After staging a phony show of resistance,
Fermin Jáudenes, the Spanish governor, secretly arranged for a surrender in order to preserve his own

3
reputation. Despite the fact that American troops controlled the city, Filipino insurgents controlled the
rest of the country.

Philippines sovereignty was transferred to the United States through the Treaty of Paris, which was signed
in December 1898 by representatives of Spain and the United States. Although they were in actual control
of the entire archipelago, with the exception of Manila, the leaders of the fledgling Philippine Republic
refused to recognize U.S. sovereignty over the islands. The United States, on the other hand, has rejected
Filipino claims to be an independent nation. It was unavoidable that there would be conflict.

Violence erupted on the outskirts of Manila on the night of February 4, 1899, sparking a nationwide
manhunt. The Filipinos, who had fought valiantly, if not recklessly, were defeated on all fronts the
following morning. While the fighting was still going on, Aguinaldo issued a proclamation of war against
the United States of America (the United States). With strong anti-imperialist sentiment prevailing in the
United States, the treaty ending the Spanish-American War was ratified by a single vote on February 6,
1898, in the Senate of the United States of America. The United States immediately dispatched
reinforcements to the Philippines. Antonio Luna, the most capable commander among the Filipinos, was
assigned command of their military operations, but he appears to have been severely hampered by
Aguinaldo's jealousy and distrust, which he seemed to have reciprocated in full. Luna was assassinated,
and on March 31, U.S. forces captured the rebel capital of Malolos, effectively ending the rebellion.

It was in March 1900 that President William McKinley convened the Second Philippine Commission, which
was charged with the creation of a civil government for the Philippines (while conveniently ignoring the
existence of Aguinaldo's Philippine Republic). In an order issued on April 7, McKinley instructed
commission chairman William Howard Taft to "bear in mind that the government which they are
establishing is not intended to provide us with satisfaction or to express our theoretical views, but rather
to provide happiness, peace, and prosperity to the people of the Philippine Islands." Despite the fact that
there was no explicit mention of independence, these instructions were later frequently cited as
supporting such a goal.

The Guerrilla Warfare.

Meanwhile, the government of the Philippines had fled northward. In November 1899, the Filipinos
resorted to guerrilla warfare, which had devastating implications for the entire country. The majority of
the insurrection's major operations took place in Luzon, and the United States Army received material
assistance from indigenous Macabebe
scouts who had previously served the
Spanish regime before transferring their
loyalty to the United States.

The capture of Aguinaldo by Brig. Gen.

Frederick Funston of the United States
Army on March 23, 1901, effectively
brought the organized insurrection to a
close. A captured courier provided
Funston with information about the
location of Aguinaldo's secret

4
headquarters, prompting him to personally lead an audacious mission into the mountains of northern
Luzon. He and a small group of his officers pretended to be prisoners of war, marching under the
protection of a column of Macabebe scouts who were dressed as rebels in order to fool the enemy. While
expecting reinforcements, Aguinaldo was surprised to find himself confronted with a demand to
surrender by the chief elements of the force. When Funston arrived, Aguinaldo exclaimed, "Is this not
some kind of joke?" before being led back to Manila.

Despite Aguinaldo's declaration of allegiance to the United States and his call for an end to hostilities, the
guerrilla campaign continued to persist with fury. Angered by a massacre of American soldiers, Brig. Gen.
Jacob F. Smith responded with retaliatory measures of such indiscriminate brutality that he was court-
martialed and forced to resign. Despite the fact that the remaining guerrillas continued to fight after the
surrender of Filipino Gen. Miguel Malvar in Samar on April 16, 1902, the American civil government
regarded them as mere bandits and dismissed them as such. Approximately a thousand guerrillas under
the command of Simeón Ola were not defeated until late 1903, and troops under the command of
Macario Sakay in Batangas province, south of Manila, resisted capture until as late as 1906.

From 1904 to 1906, the island of Samar was the site of the last organized resistance to American power.
The rebels' strategy of burning down pacified villages played a role in their own downfall in that location.
The United States had gained undisputed control of the Philippines by 1913, despite the fact that a
separate insurgency campaign by Moro bands on Mindanao continued sporadically until that year. The
United States retained control of the Philippines until 1946.

Casualties

The war had a significant toll on human lives.... Filipino combatants were killed in large numbers
(estimated 20,000), and more than 200,000 civilians died as a result of combat, hunger, or disease during
the war. Of the 4,300 Americans who died, approximately 1,500 were killed in action, with nearly twice
that number dying as a result of illness.)

Impact of American Colonialism

What has been the impact of American rule on the Filipinos' economy, politics, society, and culture, and
how has this affected them? The United States strengthened the economy and the structure of
government in the Philippines, resulting in increased political engagement and better economic gains for
the people of the Philippines. Many Filipinos were left with "colonial mentalities," as well as materialistic
and individualistic mindsets, as a result of American rule.

Education and the School System

The creation of the public education system in the Philippines was America's crowning achievement in the
country. In general, the public education system has raised the number of Filipinos who are literate and
can write their names. Literacy rates were 44.2 percent in 1903, according to the United States Census
Bureau. When a second census was done in 1918, this figure increased to 49.2 percent. Siliman University
in Dumaguete City was the first university established by Americans, and it was followed by Central
Philippine University in Iloilo City as the second oldest. The University of the Philippines was established
in Manila in 1908 as a private institution of higher learning. Education progressed at a quick pace under
the Americans, and no other conquering force could match their achievements.

5
Trade and Industry

In 1909, Philippine exports were 60.9 million pesos, which was a record high for the country. It reached a
peak of 94.7 million pesos over the period 1910-1914. In 1914-1918, the number of exports climbed even
more, reaching 117.3 million pesos, and in 1925-1930, the number of exports reached 297.9 million pesos,
a record high. With the exception of World War I, the Philippines' international trade maintained a
favorable balance of trade from 1914 to 1918.

Coconut oil mills, cigar and cigarette factories, rope manufacturers, fishing and fish canning operations,
alcohol production, minor distilleries, and sugar distribution centers were all developed throughout the
country. More laborers were hired, as well as more Filipino capital. The gold mining industry generated
over seven million pesos' worth of gold in 1929. In 1935, the year of the Commonwealth, it produced gold
worth over 32 million pesos, or nearly 32 million ounces.

Public Health and Welfare

The Board of Public Health, which eventually evolved into a bureau, was established by the Americans in
1901. Its responsibilities included educating the public about hygiene and sanitation, as well as combating
their ignorance and superstitions, which were considered the greatest threats to medicine and public
health at the time. The Filipinos learned about nutrition from the Americans. A well-balanced diet,
consisting of high amounts of all known vitamins and minerals, was introduced into the population.
Consequently, the Filipinos became healthier and taller as a result of this. Filipinos were reported to be
5'3" in height on average in 1900, according to historical records "Alternatively, 5"4" According to some
estimates, the average height was 5'6 inches by 1920 ".

Transportation and Communication

Additionally, the railroad line was expanded. In 1093, there were only approximately 200 kilometers of
railway. It reached a height of more than 1,000 kilometers in 1935. During the Spanish era, the Manila-
Dagupan Railway was established. After being acquired by the government, it became known as the
Manila Railroad Company. The border was expanded to include the provinces of Northern and Southern
Luzon, putting them much closer together than they were previously.

Democracies and Civil Liberties

The American system recognized the equality of men before the law, as well as the right of every man to
all of the freedoms - freedom of religion, freedom of expression, freedom of the press, freedom to
complain, and the right to change one's domicile – a place of permanent residence.

Political Parties

Philippines learned about political platforms from the United States and used them for their own use.
When the United States political party system was established, both its positive and negative traits were
embraced by the Filipinos over the course of time. In the aftermath of this political party system, the
wealthiest and most educated Filipinos gained a greater understanding of government machinery and

6
government matters as a result of their participation. Ironically, during the administration of Governor-
General Harrison, this type of politics became even more institutionalized as more Filipinos gained control
of the legislative body and administrative bureaucracy.

Language and Literature

According to McKinley's directive, the English language should be the primary medium of teaching in all
public schools. Some Filipinos began to write in English after learning the language. By 1935, a large
number of Filipino writers in English had made names for themselves in the fields of poetry, short stories,
and essays. A few of them wrote plays and books. Some poetry and short stories written by Filipino writers
in English have been published in the United States.

Words like putbal (football), basketbol (basketball), pawl (foul), boksing (boxing), bistik (beefsteak), kendi
(candy), and many others are not part of the tagalog vocabulary.

Negative Impact of American Rule

• Philippine economic development has grown entirely dependent on the United States in order to
maintain its competitiveness.

• The capitalists of the Philippines were responsible for a genuine industrialization.

• Neither our own delicacies nor our own heroes are any longer cherished.

• Filipinos are particularly interested in American culture.

• The materialistic vision of life has eroded the social spirits of the Filipino people, leading them to
adopt an individualistic and consumerist way of life.

The Philippine Commonwealth (1935-1941)

Founded on November 15, 1935, the Commonwealth of the Philippines was intended to serve as a
transitional period between the United States, which had ruled the islands since 1898, and the Philippines'
eventual independence.

It was originally established by the National Defense Act of 1935, which became known as the
Commonwealth Army (Commonwealth Act No. 1). Under the act, original appointments by the President
in grades above third lieutenant should be made from among former holders of reserve commissions in
the United States Army, former officers of the Philippine Scouts and former officers of the Philippine
Constabulary, insofar as it is practicable under the circumstances.

As soon as the Commonwealth of the Philippines was established on November 15, 1935, at the Legislative
Building in Manila, under the American colonial regime, President Manuel L. Quezon, the first president
of the Commonwealth, sought the assistance of General Douglas MacArthur in developing a national
defense strategy.

7
A new name for the Philippine Commonwealth Army came into effect on December 21, 1935, with the
renaming of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). This change had an impact on the organization of
the Council of National Defense and the formation of the Philippine Army. Among other things, the act
outlined the army's organizational structure in some detail, as well as enlistment procedures and
mobilization procedures.

Philippine Commonwealth Army development progressed slowly for a number of reasons. A large portion
of 1936 was devoted to the construction of general headquarters and training camps, as well as the
organization of cadres and the special training of instructors, most of whom were drawn from the
Philippine Constabulary. A contingent of Philippine Scouts served as instructors, and U.S. Army officers
were assigned to assist with the inspection, instruction, and administration of the program. The program
was overseen by the commander of the Philippine Department. By the end of the year, instructors had
been trained, and camps, including the general headquarters, had been founded and put into operation.

It was announced on January 1, 1937, that the first group of approximately 20,000 to 40,000 men would
be called up. By the end of 1939, the reserves numbered 4,800 officers and 104,000 men. Infantry training
was provided at various locations throughout the Philippines; field artillery training was concentrated in
the vicinity of the United States Army's Fort Stotsenburg in the province of Pampanga, about fifty miles
north of Manila; and specialized training was provided at Fort William McKinley, which is located just
south of the capital. The coast artillery training at Fort Stotsenburg and Grande Island in Subic Bay was
carried out by personnel who were primarily supplied by the American commander on Corregidor Island.

As the threat of war with the Empire of Japan grew more imminent, the United States Army Forces Far
East (USAFFE) was established on July 26, 1941, under the command of General Douglas MacArthur, who
later rose to the rank of Field Marshal of the Commonwealth Army. As a result of this Presidential Order
(6 Federal Register 3825), President Franklin D. Roosevelt called the Philippine Commonwealth Army into
the service of the United States Armed Forces, which took effect on December 8, 1941. Not all of the
military forces of the Philippine Commonwealth government were compelled to join the United States
Armed Forces as a result of the President's Order. It was only those units and personnel who were
specified in orders issued by a general officer of the United States Army who were mobilized and made
integral parts of the USAFFE, and only those members of a unit who physically reported for duty were
inducted into the USAFFE. Each year, the mobilized units receive nearly 16 million pesos in funding to train
new Filipino soldiers in the art of defending the country.

National Defense Act of 1935

The National Defense Act of 1935 (Commonwealth Act No. 1) was passed by the Philippine National
Assembly on December 21, 1935. The purpose of this act was to create an independent Philippine Army,
this was interrupted by World War II. This act provided for the creation, by 1946, via an annual
appropriation of 16,000,000 pesos, of the following forces:

A regular army force of 10,000 troops (formed largely from the Philippine Scouts and the Philippine
Constabulary)

• A reserve army of 400,000

• The Offshore Patrol, which was to possess 36 torpedo boats
• A Philippine Army Air Corps of 100 tactical bombers

8
Office of the Military Advisor

The National Assembly was guided by the Office of the Military Advisor to the Commonwealth
Government under the U.S. General Douglas MacArthur.

Military Districts

The act divided the Commonwealth of the Philippines into ten military districts, similar to the prewar
corps areas within the US. Each district had a roughly equal population and each was to initially provide 1
reserve division, and ultimately three.

• Luzon, Mindoro, Palawan, and Masbate contained 5 military districts

• Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago constituted 1 district
• The Visayas contained 4 districts

Reserve Training

The Act provided for the drafting of Filipino men, between the ages of 21 and 50, into the 30 reserve
divisions. This force was to be raised through 2 training camps, of 20,000 men each, lasting 22 weeks. The
camps would be staffed by members of the regular army.

The first group of 20,000 troops was drafted on January 1, 1937, and there were 4,800 officers and
104,000 enlisted men in the reserves by 1939.

Officer Training

For the training of junior officers, the Act provided that a military academy be established with a Cadet
Corps strength not to exceed 350 at any one time. As graduates could not be expected until they had
completed 4 years of training, selected reservists were selected for training as noncommissioned officers.
The best of these were then given basic office training and commissioned as 3rd Lieutenants. Officers
were also created through senior-level ROTC courses in colleges and universities.

9
Summary
Philippine-American War was fought between the United States and Filipino rebels from 1899 to 1902. It
may be considered a continuation of the Philippine Revolution against Spanish rule, which began in 1898.
U.S. gained control of the Philippines as a result of Spain's loss in the Spanish-American war. The Battle of
Manila Bay was the first battle of the Spanish-American War. US troops invaded Cuba at Guantanamo Bay
and Santiago de Cuba between June 10 and June 24, 1898.

Spain reluctantly agreed to sell the Philippines to the United States for a sum of $20 million dollars. The
Treaty of Paris was signed in 1899 after the Spanish-American War. The treaty was ratified by a single vote
on February 6, 1899, after weeks of debate in the United States Senate. It led to the abolition of Spanish
rule and the establishment of the First Philippine Republic. In the Philippines, there had been numerous
quasi-religious uprisings during the more than 300 years of colonial rule.

The writings of José Rizal helped to spark a more broad-based movement for Philippine independence. In
Cuba, a new movement for independence from Spanish rule was gaining momentum. Philippines
sovereignty was transferred to the United States through the Treaty of Paris in 1898. The leaders of the
fledgling Philippine Republic refused to recognize U.S. sovereignty over the islands. In November 1899,
the Filipinos resorted to guerrilla warfare, which had devastating implications for the entire country.

The capture of Aguinaldo by Brig. Gen. Frederick Funston of the United States Army on March 23, 1901,
effectively brought the organized insurrection to a close. More than 200,000 Filipinos died as a result of
combat, hunger, or disease during World War I. Many Filipinos were left with "colonial mentalities," as
well as materialistic and individualistic mindsets. The United States strengthened the economy and the
structure of government in the Philippines. The Board of Public Health, which eventually evolved into a
bureau, was established in 1901. The gold mining industry generated over seven million pesos' worth of
gold in 1929.

A well-balanced diet, consisting of high amounts of all known vitamins and minerals, was introduced into
the population. In McKinley's directive, the English language should be the primary medium of teaching
in all public schools. By 1935, a large number of Filipino writers in English had made names for themselves.
The Commonwealth of the Philippines was intended to serve as a transitional period between the United
States and independence. General Douglas MacArthur worked with President Manuel L. Quezon to
develop national defense strategy.

Training camps, headquarters, cadres, instructors were built and put into operation in 1936. First troops
called up in 1937; reserves had 4,800 officers and 104,000 men by 1939. The United States Army Forces
Far East (USAFFE) was established on July 26, 1941. President Franklin D. Roosevelt called the Philippine
Commonwealth Army into the service of the United States Armed Forces. The purpose of this act was to
create an independent Philippine Army, this was interrupted by World War II.

10
Assignment
• Construct a diorama regarding the influence of American colonization in the Philippines/Manila.
• Choose one significant influence of American colonization in the Philippines/Manila.
• Explain why it influences the life of the Filipino people during the American time.
• Does it influence the way Filipino live, think and behave today?
• What have you learned from this activity?

References
Britannica, T. E. (2021, August 23). Philippine-American War. Retrieved from Encyclopaedia Britannica:
https://www.britannica.com/event/Philippine-American-War/The-guerrilla-campaign

Fortuna, A., & Manuel, R. (2014, March 13). Impact of American Rule. Retrieved from Slideware:
https://www.slideshare.net/TeacherKheysie/the-impact-of-american-rule-32300349

Longley, R. (2019, July 2019). Treaty of Paris 1898: The End of the Spanish-American War. Retrieved from
ThoughtCo.: https://www.thoughtco.com/treaty-of-paris-1898-4692529

National Defense Act of 1935. (n.d.). Retrieved from Wikia.Org.

Philippine Commonweatlh Army. (n.d.). Retrieved from Wikia.Org.

11