1898 - The United States defeats Spain in war; Treaty of Paris; 1899 - San Juan del Monte Bridge

nte Bridge incident; Philippine-American War.

creation of the first Philippine Republic under Emilio Aguinaldo’s One of the events that precipitated the Filipino American war in 1899
administration. is this incident.
The immediate cause of the conflict was the fatal shooting of three
The Spanish-American War had its origins in the rebellion against Filipino soldiers over the San Juan Bridge by Pvt. William Grayson, an
Spanish rule that began in Cuba in 1895. The repressive measures American soldier on February 4, 1899.This encounter between the
that Spain took to suppress the guerrilla war, such as herding Cuba’s Filipino and American forces in present-day Sampaloc, Manila led to a
rural population into disease-ridden garrison towns, were graphically shooting incident and sparked the Battle of Manila.
portrayed in U.S. newspapers and enflamed public opinion. In
January 1898, violence in Havana led U.S. authorities to order the February 04, 1899 - Emilio Aguinaldo officially declares war on the
battleship USS Maine to the city’s port to protect American citizens. US.
On February 15, a massive explosion of unknown origin sank the The fighting with Filipino rebels began as a result of the U.S. refusal to
Maine in Havana harbor, killing 260 of the 400 American include the Filipino nationalists in negotiations over the future of the
crewmembers aboard. An official U.S. Naval Court of Inquiry ruled in Philippines. In reaction to this non-recognition, the Filipino
March, without much evidence, that the ship was blown up by a mine, government proclaimed its constitution on January 27, 1899. By
but it did not directly place the blame on Spain. Much of Congress and February 4, the Philippine Republic had declared war on the United
a majority of the American public expressed little doubt that Spain was States after three Filipino soldiers were killed by U.S. troops.
responsible, however, and called for a declaration of war.
In April, the U.S. Congress prepared for war, adopting joint
congressional resolutions demanding a Spanish withdrawal from February 05, 1899 - Battle of Manila, first and largest battle of the war.
Cuba and authorizing President William McKinley to use force. On Battle of Manila, (4–5 February 1899), largest and first battle of the
April 23, President McKinley asked for 125,000 volunteers to fight Philippine-American War, a war between the United States and
against Spain. The next day, Spain issued a declaration of war. The Filipino revolutionaries from 1899 to 1902, an insurrection that may be
United States declared war on April 25. On May 1, the U.S. Asiatic seen as a continuation of the Philippine Revolution against Spanish
Squadron under Commodore George Dewey destroyed the Spanish rule.
Pacific fleet at Manila Bay in the first battle of the Spanish-American
War. Dewey’s decisive victory cleared the way for the U.S. occupation March 31, 1899 - American forces capture Malolos, then the capital.
of Manila in August and the eventual transfer of the Philippines from The Capture of Malolos (Filipino: Labanan para sa Malolos), also
Spanish to American control. known as the Battle of Malolos, occurred on March 31, 1899, in
Malolos, Bulacan, during the Philippine–American War. General
The Treaty of Paris (1898) officially ended the period of Spanish Arthur MacArthur Jr.'s division advanced to Malolos along the Manila-
colonization in the Philippines and granted possession of Cuba, Dagupan Railway. Malolos was the site of the constitutional
Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines to the United States. It also convention of 1898, known as the Malolos Convention, that led to the
required that the United States pay $20 million USD in recompense to establishment of the First Philippine Republic, at the sanctuary of the
the Spanish government. Barasoain Church. The convent of the Malolos Cathedral served as
the presidential palace at that time. Malolos gave birth to the first
constitutional republic in Asia.
 government replaced the military government in the Philippines with a
1901 - President Emilio Aguinaldo was captured by the Americans; civilian government headed by William Howard Taft on July 4, 1902.
He then eventually swore an oath of allegiance to the US.
After his capture on March 23, 1901, Aguinaldo agreed to swear 1916 - The passage of the Jones Law, which replaced the Philippine
allegiance to the United States, and then left public life. His dream of Organic Law.
Philippine independence came true on July 4, 1946. He died in Manila The Philippine Organic Act (c. 1369, 32 Stat. 691) was a basic law for
in 1964. the Insular Government that was enacted by the United States
Congress on July 1, 1902. It is also known as the Philippine Bill of
March 23, 1901 - Aguinaldo is captured by US forces, led by General 1902 and the Cooper Act, after its author Henry A. Cooper. The
Frederick Funston approval of the act coincided with the official end of the Philippine–
American War.
April, 1901 - Aguinaldo makes peace with the US.
volunteered to swear his allegiance to the United States, formally 1933-1934 - First step to Philippine independence from American rule:
ending the First Republic and recognizing the sovereignty of the US Hare-Hawes Cutting Act and the Tydings-McDuffie Law.
over the Philippines. He was captured by the Americans in his secret
headquarters in Palanan, Isabela on March 23, 1901.
After his capture, Aguinaldo was held at the Malacañang palace as a On January 13, 1933, the Hare-Hawes-Cutting Act became the first
POW but was treated more as guest than a prisoner from March 28th measure passed by the United States House of Representatives,
until April 20th of 1901. overriding a veto by President Herbert Hoover, to set definite date for
the independence of the Philippines.
It was Chief Justice Arellano, formerly attorney general in Aguinaldo's
cabinet, who persuaded him to swear allegiance to the United States, The U.S. Senate approved the bill four days later on January 17,
1933. It required the Philippine Senate to ratify the law.
and on April 19, 1901, issued a proclamation acknowledging and
accepting the sovereignty of the United States throughout the
The Hare-Hawes-Cutting Act was originally passed by the U.S.
Philippine Archipelago.
Congress in December 1932, but it was vetoed by President Hoover.

1902 - Philippines experienced its first legislative privilege, as well the

The law promised Philippine independence after a 10-year transition
civil and human rights of its people. period, but reserved several military and naval bases for the United
ACT OF CONGRESS OF JULY FIRST, NINETEEN HUNDRED AND States, as well as imposing tariffs and quotas on Philippine exports.
TWO, “THE PHILIPPINE BILL.” AN ACT TEMPORARILY TO
PROVIDE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE AFFAIRS OF CIVIL Philippine Senate President Manuel L. Quezon led a mission to the
GOVERNMENT IN THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS, AND FOR OTHER U.S. opposing the new law and advocated for the passage of the
PURPOSES. Tydings-McDuffie Act which eliminated objectionable provisions of
the Hare-Hawes-Cutting Act. The Philippine Senate supported the
June 16, 1902 - US military rule of the Philippines ends. new bill and won the support of new U.S. President Franklin D.
The U.S. Congress approved the Philippines Act on July 1, 1902, Roosevelt, which resulted in the passage of the Tydings-McDuffie Act
which provided the Philippines with limited self-government. The U.S.
of 1934, more popularly known also as the Philippine Independence
Act.

It provided for Philippine Independence and also tax-free exportation

of Philippine products such as sugar, coconut oil, and cordage to the
United States and the diplomatic negotiation of the military bases
issue.

1935 - The establishment of the Commonwealth Government in the

Philippines - a transitional government to independence where
Manuel Quezon was elected president of the commonwealth.
The 1935 Constitution, which featured a political system virtually
identical to the American one, became operative. The system called
for a President to be elected at large for a 4-year term (subject to one
re-election), a bicameral Congress, and an independent Judiciary.

1942-1943 - The Second World War and the occupation of Imperial

Japan in the Philippines.

The Japanese occupation of the Philippines occurred between 1942

and 1945, when Imperial Japan occupied the Commonwealth of the
Philippines during World War II. The invasion of the Philippines
started on 8 December 1941, ten hours after the attack on Pearl
Harbor.