Introduction The American colonial period in the Philippines (1898-1946) represented a transformative era for the archipelago, not least for the development of its media landscape. Following centuries of Spanish rule characterized by stringent censorship and limited press freedom, the arrival of the Americans, despite the initial brutal conflict of the Philippine-American War, introduced a different…
US Civil Administration
The Philippine Scouts: Filipinos Serving in the US Army During the American Colonial Era
Introduction The story of the Philippine Scouts is a unique and often overlooked chapter in both Philippine and American military history. Formed at the turn of the 20th century, the Philippine Scouts were a distinct military unit composed primarily of Filipinos serving within the United States Army during the American colonial period in the Philippines (roughly 1898-1946). Their existence…
The Sweet Ascent: Rise of the Philippine Sugar Industry Under American Rule
Introduction The history of the Philippines is intricately linked to its agricultural produce, and few commodities have played as pivotal a role as sugar. For centuries, sugar cultivation was a staple, but its transformation into a global economic powerhouse was dramatically accelerated during the American colonial period, spanning from 1898 to 1946. This era witnessed…
The Leonard Wood Governorship in the Philippines: Conflict Over Executive Authority and the Push for Autonomy (1921-1927)
The period of American colonial rule in the Philippines, spanning from the turn of the 20th century until independence in 1946, was marked by complex dynamics between the colonizer and the colonized. While the stated goal of the United States was to prepare the islands for self-governance, the path was far from smooth. One of…