Chap 19 – The Impact of American Rule
a. boys and girls and adults learned English
1. The United States improved the economy and
system of govt where Filipinos have greater
political participation and more economic
gains.
2. The ff greatly improved during the American
rule:
a. public health and sanitation
b. transportation and communication
c. education and literacy
3. The american rule gave us the great
“ Colonial Mentality “ and the materialistic
and individualistic ways among many
Filipinos
Education and the School System
1. America’s greatest achievement in the Phils –
the Public school system.
2. Public School System
a. it was open to all
b. secular in orientation
c. based on life here on earth rather than life
after death taught by the spaniards
d. it emphasized honesty, civic
consciousness, cooperation with the govt,
mutual help, labor of love, and
advancement of learning
e. Church has nothing to do with the school
system. There was seperation of the State
and the Church.
f. American soldiers were the 1st American
teachers. Pupils were treated well with
free books, pencils and papers.
3. Thomasites also, American teachers after the
Phil American war – were more successful
in educating the Filipinos
b. there were day and night classes
c. as a result many Filipinos knew the
English language in a few years.
1. 1903 – literacy rate 44.2%
2. 1904 – 1st Filipino pencionados were
sent to the US
3. 1918 – literacy rate 49.2 %
4. Number of schools increased.
a. UST of the spaniards continued to
operate
b. Silliman University ( 1901) – the
oldest University founded by the
americans
c. Central Phils University ( Iloilo)
d. Univ of the Phils in 1908
5. Education uncer the Americans advanced
rapidly and was not equaled by any other
colonizing power.
Public Health and Welfare
1. The American authorities worked hard to
control the spread of deadly diseases.
2. In 1901- the Board of Public Health and it
later became a Bureau.
Duties:
a. instruct the people in hygiene and
sanitation
b. to combat the people’s ignorance and
superstitions which were the greatest
enemies of medicine and public health
3. Hospitals, leprosaria and dispensaries were
established so that sick people could be taken
cared of properly.
4. because of these efforts: mortality rate
decreased
5. Americans improved the Filipino diet
a. nutrition was taught
b. balance diet was introduced
c. result was :
1. Filipino became healthier and taller
2. Filipino height was only 5’3” went
to 5’6”
Improvement in Trade and Industry
1. Trade
a. Free trade with the United States led to
artificial prosperity
b. free trade – Phil products that entered
the US were not taxed and American
products that entered the Phils were not
also taxed.
c. Phil exports to the US increased:
1. 1909 – P 60.9 M
2. 19010- 1914 – P 94.7M
3. 1914- 1918 – P177.3M
4. 1925- 1930 – P 297.9 M
d. this meant that the Phil exports were
bigger than the imports
e. Phil Free trade enjoyed a favorable
balance of trade
2. Industry
a. factories and mills were throughout
the country
1. coconut mills
2. cigarette factories
3. rope factories
4. fish canning
5. alcohol distilleries
6. sugar centrals
b. more filipino laborers were employed
c. Mining became an imprtant industry
1. 1929 – gold mining produced
P7M worth of gold
2. 1935 or during
Commonwealth – P32 M
worth of gold
Transportation and Communications
1. roads more than 20,000 kilometers
2. bridges and culverts numbered 8,000
3. railway line extended
4. Manila – Dagupan railway became Manila
Railroad Company.
5. Railway line extended to the provinces in the
Northern and Southern Luzon
Democracy and Civil Liberties
1. Americans recognizes the equality of men
before the law
2. Right of every man to all the freedoms
Freedom of religion
Freedom of speech
Freedo of the press etc
3. The Americans did not introduce democracy
to the Filipinos. Filipinos already knew
what democracy was before Spain and the
Americans came.
This can be seen from the revolts and
uprisings against Spain and America. The
people’s desire to be free from foreign
control.

4. the Malolos constitution provided for the Bil
of Rights which recognizes human dignity
and freedom.
Political Parties
1. The Municipal elections, Provincial elections
and National elections ( 1907) resulted in
the formation of Political parties in the
Phils.
2. The fctions in the Tejeros Convention was
not a Political party bec there was no
definite political platform.
3. The Americans introduced the Political
Parties with definite platform.
Federal Party - platform was for the
integration of the Phils into the
American Union.
Nacionalista Party - platform was for the
absolute and immediate independence
for the Phils
4. In time, the good and the bad characteristics
of a political party were adopted by the
filipinos.
5. This political parties results in the increased
of knowledge of government machinery and
govt affairs of the wealthy and educated
filipinos
6. This deepened during the tome of Gov
Harrison when many filipinos controlled the
law making body of the govt.
Language and Literature
1. Lasting influence the Americans made to the
Phils- the teaching of English Language and
Literature to the Filipinos
2. McKinley – who ordered the English
language be use as a medium of instructions
in all pbulic schools
3. Some Filipinos who wrote English in the
first 10 years of the American rule:
Juan F. Salazar Francisco Africa
Maximo Kalaw etc
4. With the teaching of the English language to
the Filipinos, American culture became
popular in the Phils.
5. Filipino learned the works of famous
American writers more than Filipino literary
works.
6. The contact btween the Filipino and the
English language resulted in the adoption of
the English words and phrases in the major
Phil languages.
Putbol – football basketbol- basketball
Kendi – candy boksing – boxing
Later called Taglish or Engalog
Negative Results of American Rule
1. The free trade relations between the Phils and
the United States which resulted in the
Ohilippines becoming dependent exclusively
on the United States to continue to prosper
economically.
a. The Phils relied heavily on American
market.
b. The Phils cannot develop exports for trade
with other countries
c. The Americans had the upper hand in
dictating the prices of Phil commodities
d. Washington tells the Filipinos what to do
and what not to do.
3. No real industrialization in the hands of
Filipino capital.
4. Brainwashing throught heeducational system.
a. we are called subjects taken in schools
were emphasis are American culture and
history than Phil culture and history
b. Filipinos learned about Washinton, Santa
Claus, snow, Abraham Lincoln and other
american heroes.
 c. We were not taught about Rizal,
Bonifacio, Tandang Sora etc

d. This results to filipino student admiring

everything that comes from America

e. many filipinos preferred “Stateside”

5. Filipinos appreciate American food.

Hotdogs, hamburgers, sandwiches

Rather than our very own filipino –

suman , puto, etc.

6. Filipino attitude in placing material things

above spiritual things.

a. Capaitalist values

1. rich
2. beautiful house
3. latest car
4. mobile phones

Rather than values like:

1. honesty
2. hardwork
3. respect
4. obedience