Changes In The American Period

Changes in the American period Consequences of the American colonial rule During the Spanish period the Spaniards had given enormous land properties to the Catholic church. One of the first things the Americans did was to take care for the redistribution of these land properties. To do so they first had to pay an amount of US $7.2 million to the Vatican in 1904. The small farmers or tenants didn't get any land however. The land became property of some large landowners. Most of the small farmers couldn't pay the asked price or couldn't prove that they were the former owners of the land. The economic development during the 'American period' was rather typical colonial. The Philippine economy was strongly related to and depending on the United States. The Philippine economy was focused on mining and exporting crops. Industrial growth didn't take place. Quezon, the first Philippine president The Philippines was controlled by the Americans from 1900-1942. In 1934 an act was established, which made it possible that the Philippines could have a "Commonwealth of the Philippines". The first president of this Commonwealth was Manuel Quezon. The first president was given certain power for some internal affairs.

The Japanese occupation The Americans were still in the Philippines when the next foreign ruler came. Japan. The Japanese army and rulers occupied the Philippines from 1942 - 1944.

President Quezon

The first step to liberation

This was the first step in the total liberation of the country. With 700 vessels and 174,000 army and navy servicemen, McArthur arrived in the In October 1944 the American general Douglas Mac Arthur landed with his troops Philippines. In December 1944, the islands of at the east coast of Leyte, one of the bigger Leyte and Mindoro were cleared of the Japanese army. islands in the central part of the Philippines. Many casualties

The casualties of the Americans in this operation is estimated 4000 - 6000. Filipino casualties: estimated about one million! Freedom at last! The Philippines was granted it's independence in 1946. Freedom at last, 148 years later than the freedom which was written down by Julian Felipe in the Philippine anthem called "Lupang Hinirang". The Republic of the Philippines was proclaimed on July 4, 1946.