Ferdinand Magellan and his expedition in the Philippines Island

Ferdinand Magellan and his expidition in the Philippines Island

Ferdinand Magellan was a Portuguese explorer who began his expedition on a quest to find a new route to Spies Islands, which is now Indonesia. He was accompanied by 5 ships and approxiamately 250 men, they set sailed in September of 1519. As the ships set sailed, they quickly ran out of food and the crew were forced to eat leather and drink salt water, and many died from scurvy.

As they continued sailing towards west, they landed on the Philippines Islands in March of 1521. While in the Island, Magellan traded with local leaders and attempted to convert many into Christianity. Magellan was welcomed by Rajah Humabon of Cebu who was the leader of the island and quickly formed a bond, after their trade was made. Magellan then became involved in a battle against Humabon's rival, Lapu Lapu.

Battle of Mactan

Near the island of Cebu is another island called Mactan, which resides two rival chiefs, Zula and Lapu-Lapu. Zula submitted and wanted to pay tribute to the Spanish crown, while the latter was more impudence. With Lapu-Lapu's defiance, Zula couldn't fully pledge allegiance to the spanish, he then sought out the spanish to help him defeat Lapu-Lapu. Despite the fact that Rajah Humabon and Zula wanted Ferdinand Magellan to kill Lapu-Lapu, Magellan had another intention, which was to persuade Lapu-Lapu to convert to christianity. However Lapu-Lapu refused and requsted for Magellan not to attack before daylight.

Battle of Mactan occured in April 27, 1521. Magellan sailed to Mactan along with 48 men with crossbows, axes, guns, and swords. Magellan's men were wearing suits of armor which enables them to move faster, unlike Lapu-Lapu and the natives. Magellan ordered his men to burn down houses upon coming to the shore which infuriated the natives. They fought for about an hour or two, and the foreigners retreated back, however while running towards their boat, Magellan was shot on his leg by an arrow. The natives then hurled around Magellan with kampilans (wooden long sword), spears, and bolos (knife), while Magellan's commarades returned back to their boats, leaving Magellan to die. Although in Philippines folkrole, it is said that Magellan was beheaded.

Interesting facts

- Ferdinand Magellan is known to have proven that Earth is round and he was the fist explorer to circumnavigate the world.

- You could also find a Magellan shrine in Cebu. The cross was planted upon Magellan's arrival in the Philippines. I actually saw the shrine for myself. There is also a myth circling the cross in the Philippines, that the cross was small when it was founded and it grew from then on.

- Magellan also gave Rajah Humabon's wife a gift a Sto Niño, which is a statue of a child jesus that is now a great deal to all catholic filipinos. You could find sto. niños in most household in the philippines. There is also a festival called, Sinulog to celebrate catholism in which you bring your own sto niño and parade them.

Spanish Colonial Period

The Spanish Period started when Ferdinand Magellan landed on the Philippines Islands. After his death, King Philip II sent out Miguel Lopez de Legaspi in 1565 to the Philippines. Legaspi was the first spanish settler on the island who established the capital, Manila. Manila was the center of the spanish colony, it was somehow linked concerning international trades and most of the powerful and wealthy families lived within the walls of Manila.

The Spanish ambition towards the Philippines was to convert Filipinos to Christianity, somehow contact Japan and China in order to spread Catholicism, and to obtain part of Spies Islands for themselves. In the process of invading the Philippines island, the spaniards also obtained an advantage in which they are able to gain control of the coastal areas of the northern and center islands.

Spaniards were also looking for spices and precious metals, but neither of those was found in the island. Meaning that the island isn't as profitable to the colony as they tought it was going to be.

Life in the Philippines during Spanish period

Although most were untouched by the spanish occupation in the Philippines, they did eradicated some of the traditions local people followed. Spaniards also saw conversion to Catholicism as a symbol of an individual's allegiance to them. Other groups that resisted like the Igorot were punished by the spaniards by raping their women and burning down their whole village.

The events that occured in the Philippines during the time period was also similar to the one that transpired in Latin America. Spaniards made landowners richer by seizing lands and making them into huge plantations. Spaniards also built a traditional village organization for the purpose of bringing leaders together in order to indirectly rule the village. They are called "the principalia or principales" which consists of those that are labeled as "middle class" today.

Philippines Independence

For over 300 years of Spanish sovereignty towards the Philippines Island, many has attempted to go against the Spanish, however they never found a way to expel Spaniards out of the island. Until a literary campaign called propanganda movement was carried out. One filipino quickly surfaced as the lead propagandist, Dr. Jose Rizal. He wrote a novel called Noli me tangere "The Social Cancer" which prompt Filipinos for Independence, because of its context, the corruption of Spanish society in Manila.

Another organization called the Katipunan was formed by Andres Bonifacio, its members quickly grew, because of Dr. Rizal's influence. When the Spaniards found out the existence of the so called organization, Bonifacio called for a rebellion. However the rebellion only led to Dr. Jose Rizal's capture and public execution.

The organization then changed its leader to Emilio Aguinaldo in March 1897. Despite the change, in December of the same year, the revolution was halted and a compromise has been made between the leaders and Spaniards. In return of turning their firearms, Spaniards allowed Aguinaldo and other revolutionary leaders to fled to Hong Kong with 400,000 pesos and a promise that they will have a government reform. However both ends never complied to their promise. During the Spanish-American war the American won and Aguinaldo went back to the Philippines in anew revolution with the help of the Americans, Aguilando then declared Philippines independence from Spain on June 12, 1898.

Philippine-American War

As the result of the Spanish-American War, Spain surrendered to the United States and Americans annexed all Spanish colonies including the Philippines in the treaty of Paris, making the independence short lived.

The war started on February 4, 1899 when Americans denied the independence Filipinos fought for. The war lasted for approxiamately 3 years with a casualties of 4,200 Americans and over 200,000 Filipinos who died from the war, disease, or famine.

There are two-phases in the war, one of which was Aguinaldo and his conventional tactics to defeat the Americans. The second phase was when Filipinos shift to a different tactic to defeat the foreign invaders, which is the guerilla style warfare. However in 1901, Aguinaldo was captured and imprisoned by the Americans, making Filipinos vulnerable. In 1902 Filipinos self indulgent had already began to dissolved and as of July of the same year, the U.S president, Theodore Roosevelt declared the war over.

Over the years, there has been an uprising against the United States, however an established campaign called "policy of attraction" won many elites and won over those people who didn't agree with Aguinaldo. U.S also established self-government and reforms, and also promise Filipinos independence that was granted in 1946.

Modern Philippines

Both the World Wars and Colonialism have made an impact and had greatly contributed to the country today, without the help of the Americans, Filipinos wouldn't have had the knowledge to rule their own country. The spanish have also contributed some traditions that Filipinos view very important in their livelihood, such as the Sto. Niño and Christianity which took over 92% of the country's population and about 81% is Roman Catholic.

The Philippines custom and culture is also mixed of those that colonize the country, which is North America, Spain, and Japanese. Although most contribution came from those that colonize the country in a longer amount of time, such as North America and Spain. Having been colonize for about 300 years by Spain, the Phillipines derived its language from Spain, there also a few words which has similar meaning in both language. Spain also bought food, which Filipinos used in their everyday life.

How I was a Historian

Being a historian is all about learning new things. In this project I didn't just learn something random, but something about my culture and where I came from. I was able to learn the backgrounds of many heroes that has been a great part of my country, especially Lapu-Lapu and Dr. Jose Rizal. I was also able to learn the background of many traditions that I've followed throughout my life. I was really interested about the Philippines itself and is glad that I did something not because I have to do it , but because I want to.

Sources

1521

https://blog.oup.com/2012/03/magellan-reaches-the-philippines/

http://www.ancient-origins.net/history-famous-people/chief-lapu-lapu-warrior-and-hero-philippines-002800

https://welovecebu.com/history-of-cebu-the-battle-of-mactan/

1521-1898

http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/magellan.htm

http://factsanddetails.com/southeast-asia/Philippines/sub5_6a/entry-3836.html

http://countrystudies.us/philippines/4.htm

1896-1898

https://www.britannica.com/event/Philippine-Revolution

1899-1946

http://www.philippine-history.org/independence-from-americans.htm

https://history.state.gov/milestones/1899-1913/war

2018

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/melissa-decastro/philippines-modern-histor_b_7082250.html

http://preparetoserve.com/blog/spanish-influence-on-the-philippines/