October 5, 2006

  • Having already been fighting a war against Spain for Independence, when it was apparent that the United States was not going to give the Philippines independence, the same men fought the same battles against a new and refreshed opponent.

    In 1902, the Philippine Insurrection, as it is referred to in most United States textbooks, was decided, although Filipinos would continue to advocate for their independence beyond this time. The Philippines was eventually considered a colony of the United States, the way that Puerto Rico and Guam are colonies. The people there are not considered citizens, but nationals.

    Being a national presented some benefits. For example, there was no limit on how many people from the Philippines could immigrate to the United States. After the Chinese Exclusion Act and the Gentlemans' Agreement, which stopped immigration from China and Japan, respectively, Filipinos became a major source of labor. Basically, if you were Filipino, you could travel to America if you could afford it. Some Filipinos came as students but most were laborers.