Week 7-8 Spanish colonists

 The European population in the archipelago steadily

grew although native Filipinos remained the majority.
During the initial period of colonization, Manila was
settled by 1200 Spanish families. In Cebu City, at the
Visayas, the settlement received a total of 2,100 soldier-
settlers from New Spain (Mexico).
 They depended on the Galleon Trade for a living. In the later
years of the 18th century, Governor-General Basco introduced
economic reforms that gave the colony its first significant
internal source income from the production of tobacco and
other agricultural exports. In this later period, agriculture was
finally opened to the European population, which before was
reserved only for indigenous Filipinos.
 Some Japanese ships visited the Philippines in the 1570s in order to
export Japanese silver and import Philippine gold. Later, increasing
imports of silver from In the 1570s, the Spanish traders were
troubled to some extent by Japanese pirates, but peaceful trading
relations were established between the Philippines and Japan by
1590. Japan's kampaku (regent), Toyotomi Hideyoshi, demanded
unsuccessfully on several occasions that the Philippines submit to
Japan's suzerainty.
 Political system
 
 Fort San Pedro was first of many fortresses to protect the islands
from invaders such as pirates and other colonizers.
 The Spanish quickly organized their new colony according to their
model. The first task was the reduction, or relocation of indigenous
Filipinos into settlements. The earliest political system used during
the conquista period was the encomienda system, which resembled
the feudal system in medieval Europe.
 National government
 On the national level or social class, the King of Spain, via his Council of the
Indies (Consejo de las Indias), governed through his representative in the
Philippines, the Governor-General of the Philippines (Gobernador y Capitán
General).
 Governor-General -was given several duties: head of the supreme court.
Governor-General of the Philippines was the title of the government executive
during the colonial period of the Philippines, governed mainly by Spain and the
United States. Governor-General was commonly a peninsular Spaniard, a
Spaniard born in Spain, to ensure loyalty of the colony to the crown or tiara.

 Royal Audiencia of Manila- Commander-in-chief of the army and navy, and

the economic planner of the country.
 Also served as an advisory body to the Governor General and had the power to
check and a report on his abuses. The Audiencia also audited the expenditures
of the colonial government and sent a yearly report to Spain.Jan 11, 2020