History

Prior to the Islamization of the Philippines in the 1300's, the forms of ruling and governing were mainly independent factions vying for as much power as they could get. From merchant houses to thalassocracies, the various peoples all did what they could to thrive. Many of the names of locales are resemblent of these old names, and a large portion of them have foreign backgrounds due to the nature of displaced peoples in the Philippines. In 1380, Karim ul' Makdum married the daughter of a rajah, and her subsequent conversion to Islam set the foothold of the religion over the region.In 1521, Ferdinand Magellan "discovered" he islands and claimed them for Spain. Under Spanish rule, Manilla became the capital of the Spanish East Indies. From 1565 to 1821, they were ruled under the title of the "Viceroyalty of New Spain," which served to unite the fractured tribes of the areas. The viceroyalty was administrated directly from Madrid after the Mexican War for Independence. The Spanish exported numerous foods from the Philippines, and in exchange, converted most of the low-landers to Christianity, and introduced free public schooling in 1863.The 19th century brought about the revivification of the Philippine identity. With charges of sedition levelled at popular priests, propoganda movements rose in Spain; the most famous was under the charge of Marcelo H. del Pilar, Jose Rizal, and Mariano Ponce, who all advocated for political reform. Rizal was executed in 1896, which sparked the Philippine Revolution that ultimately lead to the release of the Philippines as a sovereign entity from Spain.Between 1898 and 1946, the Philippines had been officially placed under the ownership of the united states, regardless of the claims made by the native population. Under the management of the US, repression of freedom fighters was brutal, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of soldiers. In 1935, it was granted Commonwealth status, and Manuel Quezon was elected as the first president. He introduced women's suffrage and land reforms during his presidency. Plans for independence were short-lived before the Japanese invaded, claiming many lives under the brutal assault. The Philippines served as the site of many war crimes and atrocities, including the Bataan Death March. It was later liberated in 1945 by Allied forces.During the Cold War, the charges of massive corruption were aimed at President Marcos, leading to him calling for Martial Law, and during this time, the islands were again the location of several acts of censorship, repression, and brutality. The People's Power Revolution dislodged him from power and re-instated the democracy.In modern times, the presidents have managed to avoid the massive pitfall of the 1997 Asian Financial crash, but many of them have also been accused of corruption, particularly in regards to stalling legal action. One was even accused of stalling his impeachment. Further, the country has had several homeland terrorist groups, and the ongoing fight against them continues today.