Integration of colonization development of the Spanish colony, but the Chinese came to be

feared and hated because of their increasing numbers, and in

The expression “colonization” has gained a great amount of use 1603 the Spanish murdered thousands of them (later, there were
in recent decades. lesser massacres of the Chinese).
At earlier times, peopled debated about assimilation and
integration. It is important to understand what colonization, The Spanish governor, made a viceroy in 1589, ruled with the
assimilation, and integration are. In the context of Indigenous counsel of the powerful royal audiencia. There were frequent
Peoples, colonization has come to mean any kind of external uprisings by the Filipinos, who disliked the encomienda system.
control, and it is used as an expression for the subordination of By the end of the 16th cent. Manila had become a leading
Indian peoples and their rights since early contact with commercial center of East Asia, carrying on a prosperous trade
Europeans. In North America, colonization took the task of with China, India, and the East Indies. The Philippines supplied
subordinating Indigenous Peoples to the political power of some wealth (including gold) to Spain, and the richly loaded
Christian European kings. In Spanish colonies, with the galleons plying between the islands and New Spain were often
appearance of the colonists, the land was immediately attacked by English freebooters. There was also trouble from
considered under the control of the colonizing nations. other quarters, and the period from 1600 to 1663 was marked
Indigenous Peoples had only the right to land sufficient for their by continual wars with the Dutch, who were laying the
agricultural subsistence. foundations of their rich empire in the East Indies, and with
Moro pirates. One of the most difficult problems the Spanish
Spanish Colonization (1521 - 1898) faced was the defeat of the Moros. Irregular campaigns were
conducted against them but without conclusive results until the
Early Spanish expeditions middle of the 19th century. As the power of the Spanish Empire
diminished, the Jesuit orders became more influential in the
Ferdinand Magellan arrived in the Philippines in 1521. Philippines and obtained great amounts of property.

The Philippine islands first came to the attention of Europeans Occupation of the islands was accomplished with relatively
with the Spanish expedition around the world led by Portuguese little bloodshed, partly because most of the population (except
explorer Ferdinand Magellan in 1521. Magellan landed on the the Muslims) offered little armed battle initially. A significant
island of Cebu, claiming the lands for Spain and naming them problem the Spanish faced was the invasion of the Muslims of
Islas de San Lazaro. He set up friendly relations with some of Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago. The Muslims, in response
the local chieftains and converted some of them to Roman to attacks on them from the Spanish and their native allies,
Catholicism. However, Magellan was killed by natives, led by raided areas of Luzon and the Visayas that were under Spanish
a local chief named Lapu-Lapu, who go up against foreign colonial control. The Spanish conducted intermittent military
domination. campaigns against the Muslims, but without conclusive results
until the middle of the 19th century.
Over the next several decades, other Spanish expeditions were
send off to the islands. In 1543, Ruy López de Villalobos led an Church and state were inseparably linked in Spanish policy,
expedition to the islands and gave the name Las Islas Filipinas with the state assuming responsibility for religious
(after Philip II of Spain) to the islands of Samar and Leyte. The establishments. One of Spain's objectives in colonizing the
name would later be given to the entire archipelago. Philippines was the conversion of Filipinos to Catholicism. The
Spanish colonization work of conversion was facilitated by the absence of other
organized religions, except for Islam, which predominated in
The invasion of the Filipinos by Spain did not begin in earnest the south. The pageantry of the church had a wide plea,
until 1564, when another expedition from New Spain, reinforced by the incorporation of Filipino social customs into
commanded by Miguel López de Legaspi, arrived. Permanent religious observances. The eventual outcome was a new
Spanish settlement was not established until 1565 when an Christian majority of the main Malay lowland population, from
expedition led by Miguel López de Legazpi, the first Governor- which the Muslims of Mindanao and the upland tribal peoples
General of the Philippines, arrived in Cebu from New Spain. of Luzon remained detached and separated.
Spanish leadership was soon established over many small
independent communities that previously had known no central At the lower levels of administration, the Spanish built on
rule. Six years later, following the defeat of the local Muslim traditional village organization by co-opting local leaders. This
ruler, Legazpi established a capital at Manila, a location that system of indirect rule helped create in a Filipino upper class,
offered the outstanding harbor of Manila Bay, a large called the principalía, who had local wealth, high status, and
population, and closeness to the sufficient food supplies of the other privileges. This achieved an oligarchic system of local
central Luzon rice lands. Manila became the center of Spanish control. Among the most significant changes under Spanish rule
civil, military, religious, and commercial activity in the islands. was that the Filipino idea of public use and ownership of land
By 1571, when López de Legaspi established the Spanish city was replaced with the concept of private ownership and the
of Manila on the site of a Moro town he had conquered the year granting of titles on members of the principalía.
before, the Spanish grip in the Philippines was secure which
became their outpost in the East Indies, in spite of the The Philippines was not profitable as a colony, and a long war
opposition of the Portuguese, who desired to maintain their with the Dutch in the 17th century and intermittent conflict with
monopoly on East Asian trade. The Philippines was the Muslims nearly bankrupted the colonial treasury. Colonial
administered as a province of New Spain (Mexico) until income derived mainly from entrepôt trade: The Manila
Mexican independence (1821). Galleons sailing from Acapulco on the west coast of Mexico
brought shipments of silver bullion and minted coin that were
Manila revolted the attack of the Chinese pirate Limahong in exchanged for return cargoes of Chinese goods. There was no
1574. For centuries before the Spanish arrived the Chinese had direct trade with Spain.
traded with the Filipinos, but evidently none had settled
permanently in the islands until after the conquest. Chinese Decline of Spanish rule
trade and labor were of great importance in the early
Spanish rule on the Philippines was briefly interrupted in 1762, arrived in Manila and declared that if the United States did not
when British troops invaded and occupied the islands as a result grab the Philippines as a colonial possession, Germany would.
of Spain's entry into the Seven Years' War. The Treaty of Paris Since Spain and the U.S. ignored the Filipino representative,
in 1763 brought back Spanish rule and the British left in 1764. Felipe Agoncillo, during their negotiations in the Treaty of
The brief British occupation weakened Spain's grip on power Paris, the Battle of Manila between Spain and the U.S. was
and sparked rebellions and demands for independence. alleged by some to be an attempt to exclude the Filipinos from
the eventual occupation of Manila. Although there was
In 1781, Governor-General José Basco y Vargas founded the substantial domestic opposition, the United States decided
Economic Society of Friends of the Country. The Philippines neither to return the Philippines to Spain, nor to allow Germany
by this time was administered directly from Spain. to take over the Philippines. Therefore, in addition to Guam and
Developments in and out of the country helped to bring new Puerto Rico, Spain was forced in the negotiations to hand over
ideas to the Philippines. The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 the Philippines to the U.S. in exchange for US$20,000,000.00,
cut travel time to Spain. This prompted the rise of the ilustrados, which the U.S. later claimed to be a "gift" from Spain. The first
an enlightened Filipino upper class, since many young Filipinos Philippine Republic rebelled against the U.S. occupation,
were able to study in Europe. resulting in the Philippine-American War (1899–1913).

Enlightened by the Propaganda Movement to the injustices of Encomienda System

In 1570 the encomienda was introduced in the
the Spanish colonial government and the "frailocracy", the
Philippines when Legaspi, in compliance with the decree issued
ilustrados originally clamored for adequate representation to the
by King Philip II in 1558, distributed lands in Cebu to loyal
Spanish Cortes and later for independence. José Rizal, the most Spanish subjects. These men had helped conquer the
celebrated intellectual and essential illustrado of the era, wrote Philippines. The encomienda was not actually a land grant but
the novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, which was a favor from the kind under which the Spaniard receiving
greatly inspired the movement for independence. The his favor was given the right to collect tributes–or taxes–from
Katipunan, a secret society whose primary principle was that of the inhabitants of the area assigned to him. The man who
overthrowing Spanish rule in the Philippines, was founded by received this favor was called an encomendero. The
Andrés Bonifacio who became its Supremo (leader). encomienda was, therefore, a public office.

The Philippine Revolution began in 1896. Rizal was concerned

in the outbreak of the revolution and executed for treason in
1896. The Katipunan split into two groups, Magdiwang led by The encomenderos were required by law to perform the
Andrés Bonifacio and Magdalo led by Emilio Aguinaldo. following duties:
Conflict between the two revolutionary leaders ended in the
#1. to give protection to the natives
execution or assassination of Bonifacio by Aguinaldo's soldiers.
#2. to help the missionaries convert the natives to Christianity
Aguinaldo agreed to a treaty with the Pact of Biak na Bato and #3. to promote education
Aguinaldo and his fellow revolutionaries were exiled to Hong Unfortunately, many Spanish encomenderos committed abuses,
Kong. such as:

It was the opposition to the power of the clergy that in large 1. Brutal treatment of the Filipinos
measure brought about the rising attitude for independence. 2. Collecting more tribute than that authorized by law
Spanish injustices, prejudice, and economic oppressions fed the 3. Forcing the people to work for them
movement, which was greatly inspired by the brilliant writings 4. Seizure of the people’s animals and crops without just
of José Rizal. In 1896 revolution began in the province of compensation
Cavite, and after the execution of Rizal that December, it spread Because of the abuses of encomenderos, much bad feeling
throughout the major islands. The Filipino leader, Emilio resulted. First, peace and order, which the colonizers and the
early Spanish friars had established, was disturbed. Second, the
Aguinaldo, achieved considerable success before a peace was
abuses led to a conflict between the friars and the
patched up with Spain. The peace was short-lived, however, for encomenderos. The early friars observed that the encomenderos
neither side honored its agreements, and a new revolution was neglected their duty of teaching the Christian faith to the
made when the Spanish-American War broke out in 1898. Filipinos. They saw that the encomenderos were only interested
in enriching themselves instead.
The Spanish-American war started in 1898 after the USS
Maine, sent to Cuba in connection with an attempt to arrange a The friars tried to protect the Filipinos from the greed and
peaceful resolution between Cuban independence ambitions abuses of the encomenderos by;
and Spanish colonialism, was sunk in Havana harbor. After the
U.S. naval victory led by Commodore George Dewey defeated #1. preaching from the pulpits against encomendero abuses
the Spanish squadron at Manila Bay on May 1, 1898, the U.S. #2. writing letters and memorials to the King of Spain in which
invited Aguinaldo to return to the Philippines, which he did on they reported the abuses of the encomenderos
#3. refusing to absolve the encomenderos from their sins.
May 19, 1898, in the hope he would rally Filipinos against the
The Filipinos, seeing that the encomenderos were interested
Spanish colonial government. By the time U.S. land forces had
only in getting rich, grew lazy. They reasoned that it was useless
arrived, the Filipinos had taken control of the entire island of to work too hard for a living if the fruits of their work would
Luzon, except for the walled city of Intramuros Manila, which only go to the payment of excessive tributes to the
they were besieging. On June 12, 1898, Aguinaldo declared the encomenderos. This attitude was encouraged by the friars who
independence of the Philippines in Kawit, Cavite, establishing told them that the abandonment of their labors would free from
the First Philippine Republic under Asia's first democratic injustice.
constitution. Their dreams of independence were crushed when
the Philippines were transferred from Spain to the United States There were three kinds of encomiendas:
in the Treaty of Paris (1898), which closed the Spanish-
American War. #1. the Royal Encomiendas, belonging to the King
#2. the Ecclesiastical Encomiendas, belonging to the Church
#3. Private Encomiendas, belonging to private individuals
Concurrently, a German squadron under Admiral Diedrichs
At first the natives paid eight reales as tribute. This amount was In 1886, a much-needed reform was effected by the
increased to ten reales in 1589 by order of King Philip II. Aside appointment of Civil Governors and the restriction
from the tribute expected from the royal encomiendas, the king of Alcaldes to judicial duties. Each Governor was provided
also received reales from each tribute each encomiendero with an assistant, wbo was styled Secretary, and whose most
received from his encomienda. The total amount of the tributes important duty was to act as a check upon his superior.
intended for the king was kept as fund to pay the expenses for
the country’s defense. This fund was called the situado. Gobernadorcillo
The size of an encomienda was determined in two ways: The Gobernadorcillo was a municipal judge or governor in
the Philippines during the Spanish colonial period, who carried
#1. by the number of people living in it out in a town the combined charges or responsibilities of
#2. by the value of the land leadership, economic, and judicial administration. The
The law limited the number of natives in an area and gobernadorcillo was the leader of a town or pueblo (people or
administered by an encomendero to not more than 300, and the population). In a coastal town, the gobernadorcillo functioned
value of the land was limited to not more than P2,000. At first as a port captain. His appointment was through an exclusive
an encomienda could be held for three generations (about ninety nomination provided by the Spanish law. His term of office
years). This was later reduced to two generation. But because lasted for two years. The position of a gobernadorcillo was
of the complaints from encomenderos, the king decided to honorary and mandatory in order to afford him those valid
return the encomienda tenure to three generations in 1635. exemptions signified in the Philippine law. At the end of his
biennial term he would enter and form part of the principalía,
The encomenderos were succeeded by alcaldes, whose rule and was entitled to enjoy the honors and preeminence inherent
was less inhuman only because greater restraint was placed to this state. This "mayor", who was at the same time Justice of
upon them. They had not, like their predecessors, the right to the Peace and port captain, was directly responsible to the
the fruits of the natives' toil, but they enjoyed the "indulto de governor of the province in the exercise of his office.
comercio" or privilege of trading. This indulgence was never
intended to act as a restriction upon the operations of the In 1893, the Maura law was passed with the aim of making the
natives, but the alcaldes made it the medium for exercising a municipal governments in the Philippine Islands more effective
virtual rnonopoly and forced the natives to conduct all their and autonomous. One of the changes that this law brought about
transactions with them. was the reorganization of certain structures of town
governments, among which was the designation of town head's
The office of alcalde carried with it a salary of $300 a year and title, that is, Gobernadorcillo, also as Capitan Municipal,
upwards. From this sum, however, taxes were deducted and the effective 1895.
annual fee for the indulto, which usually amounted to nearly as
much as the entire salary. Nevertheless the office The Forced Labor and Tribute of the Filipinos During
of alcalde was much sought after and high prices were paid for Spanish Period
the appointment. Mazorca stated, in 1840, that: ,"There are
candidates up to the grade of Brigadier who relinquish a $3,000 During the Spanish regime, all male Filipinos from 18
salary to pursue their hopes and projects in Governorship." to 60 years of age were required to give their free labor, called
The alcaldes often found an additional source of profit in the polo, to the government. This labor was for 40 days a year,
collection of the Royal tribute. Silver being scarce in the interior reduced to 15 days in 1884. It was in various forms, such as
the natives were frequently obliged to make payment in grain, building roads and bridges, constructing public buildings and
or other produce. This the alcalde accepted at an arbitrary churches, cutting timber in the forest, working in shipyards, and
appraisement very much below the actual value and in
serving the Spanish military expeditions. One who rendered
accounting to the central authority made a personal profit of the
forced labor was called a polista.
difference.
The members of the principalia (town aristocracy) were exempt
These men, to whose hands the fanctions of government and the from the polo. Rich Filipinos annually paid the falla, a sum
administration of justice were entrusted, were generally amounting to seven pesos, in order to be exempt from forced
ignorant, often brutal, and never honest. In 1810 Tomas dc labor. The local officials (former and incumbent
Comyn had the following to say of the alcaldes: ,"In order to be gobernadorcillos, cabezas de barangay, etc.) and schoolteachers
a Chief of a Province in these islands no training, or knowledge,
were also exempted by law from the polio because of their
or special services are necessary; all persons are fit and
services to the state.
admissible.... lt is quite a common thing to see a barber, or a
Governor's lackey, a sailor, or a deserter, suddenly transformed Evidently, only the poor Filipinos who had no social or political
into an alcalde, Administrator, and Captain of the forces of a standing in the community were made to give forced labor. This
populous province, without any counsellor but his rude
practice greatly contributed to the widespread Filipino aversion
understanding, or any guide but his passions. "
to physical labor, which has only recently been overcome by
attractive wages overseas.
In 1844 a Royal Degree prohibited future trading on the part of
any Government officials but the administration of the civil rule The conditions for forced labor were (1) that it should be used
of provinces remained in the hands of Alcaldes-Mayores, who only for necessary public works and constructions intended to
exercised executive and judicial functions. The situations improve the community; (2) that the workers were to be paid in
sometimes arising out of this anomalous condition might have
full for their work; (3) that the alcaldes mayor should consider
furnished material for the libretto of a comic opera.
the physical condition of each laborer, that is, the weak should
The Alcalde-Mayor issued an order in his capacity of Governor.
A protest was made to himself in the capacity of Judge. The not be overworked; (4) that the laborers should not be sent to
Judge supported the Governor, and an appeal was taken to the work in distant lands; (5) that the giving of service should be
central authority in Manila. The central authority referred the timed so as not to interfere with the planting or harvest seasons.
matter back to the Alcalde-Mayor for a report upon the actions
All this was good only on paper, however; the laws of forced
of the Governor and the Judge. The only result of this
circumlocutionary proceeding was to put the composite official labor were often violated. Laborers were seldom paid their
in possession of a list of complainants upon whom he could visit wages. They were separated from their families by being made
his displeasure. to work in distant areas. They were not given food, as required
by law; they had to provide their own food instead. Moreover,
they were shamefully overworked, and thousands of Filipino 7.    From a broad economic point of view, the Philippines
laborers died at the worksites as a result. through the era of the galleon trade became part of what has
been called the first-world economy of modern times, namely,
The Filipino Tribute to the Colonial Government
that based on Seville and the Atlantic. The Pacific trade moved
In order to get enough money to pay for the administration of in phase with economic activity in the Atlantic. The galleon
the country and the construction of churches, government trade was more of the result than the cause of the ups and downs
buildings, roads and bridges, and improvements in in the economy of the Spanish Empire.
transportation and communication, the Filipinos were
8. The Philippines whose geographical position as an outlier of
compelled to pay tribute called tributo, to the colonial
the Southeast Asian island arc had made it in Pre-Hispanic
government. The tributo was imposed as a sign of the Filipinos'
times among the last to receive some of the major cultural
loyalty to the king of Spain. Those who paid tribute were
influences of the region, now found itself in a position to gather
individuals above sixteen years old and below sixty. At the start,
together trade flows from many directions. General view. . . .
a tribute amounting to eight reales was collected. The tribute
increased in 1598 and a small part of it, called sanctorum, went 9. It attracts… It attracts… spices Exchanging them for silver
to the church. Because of the widespread opposition to the from the New World Exchanging them for silver from the New
tribute and to the abuses in its collection, the king abolished it World cottons silk ivory
in 1884. The cedula personal, the equivalent of which is the
present residence certificate, was introduced in its place. 10. Spice trade . . . .Trade served as the fundamental income-
generating business for Spanish colonists living in the
Aside from the tribute, the Filipinos also paid other taxes. There Philippine Islands.  A total of 110 Manila galleons set sail in
were the diezmos prediales, the donativo de Zamboanga, and the 250 years of the Manila-Acapulco galleon trade (1565 to
the vinta. The diezmos prediales was a tax consisting of one- 1815).  The Manila trade was becoming so lucrative that the
tenth of the produce of one's land. The donativo de Zamboanga, merchants of Seville petitioned Philip, complaining of their
introduced in 1635, was taxed specifically used for the conquest losses, and secured a law in 1593 that set a limit of only two
of Jolo. The vinta was tax paid by people in the provinces along ships to sail each year from either port 
the coast of Western Luzon to defend the area against Muslim
pirates common at the time, as can still be seen from the 11. Until 1593, three or more ships would set sail annually from
surviving towers of stone (where bells were rung to warn the each port.  With such limitations, it was essential to build the
locality when Muslim pirates arrived). largest possible galleons, which were the largest class of ships
known to have been built anywhere up to that time.  In the
1. GALLEON TRADE “The Manila Galleon was… the first 16th century, they averaged from 1,700 to 2,000 tons, were built
medium to reduce the world to a village.” - Nick Joaquin (1990) of Philippine hardwoods and could carry a thousand passengers.
2. When the Spaniards came to the Philippines, our ancestors  An "armada", an armed escort was also allowed.
were already trading with China, Japan, Siam, India, Cambodia,
12. The galleons carried . . . spices lacquer ware ivory porcelain
Borneo and the Moluccas. The Spanish government continued
trade relations with these countries, and the Manila became the 13. East Asia trading primarily on a silver standard, the goods
center of commerce in the East. The Spaniards closed the ports were mostly bought by Mexican silver.  It took four months
of Manila to all countries except Mexico. Thus, the Manila– to sail across the Pacific Ocean from Manila to Acapulco, and
Acapulco Trade, better known as the “Galleon Trade" was born. the galleons were the main link between the Philippines and the
The Galleon Trade was a government monopoly. The History . vice regal capital at Mexico City and thence to Spain itself. 
... The Manila galleons sailed the Pacific for nearly three
centuries, bringing to Spain their cargoes of luxury goods,
3. it was the longest shipping line in history lasted for two and
a half centuries after Legazpi’s settlement in Cebu, from 1565 economic benefits, and cultural exchange. 
to 1815. The Galleon Trade . . . . 108 galleons were used, and 14. Filipinos made up from 50 to 80 percent of the crews of the
of this number, 30 were lost by shipwreck    It made galleons and were paid less than Spanish sailors  They
Manila the first primate city in Southeast Asia by the early suffered from; Filipinos in the Galleon Trade. . . . the
seventeenth century  unaccustomed cold of the high latitudes from frauds delays
4. Basically a trade between Mexico and China through the in getting their wages bad treatment aboard
Pacific Ocean with Manila as its stopover and/or transshipment
15. The last half century of the Galleon Trade was a period in
port The first global transaction that opened the East to the West
which Spain introduced new economic initiatives but Spain also
for a period of 250 years, The Galleon Trade . . . .   The trade embroiled in a series of war and there is some haziness about
saw an exchange of goods between Mexico and China  trends at that time.  The last years of the Trade. . . . In 1586,
Mexican silver was the principal product delivered to China  there had been 194 shippers sending cargo on the annual
5. The majority of the Manila Galleons sunk in the Philippines galleon. Two centuries later, there only 28. By then, there were
and surrounding areas, including China and Japan. Most of the notorious inequalities of fortune among Manila’s citizen. 
galleons were built in the Philippines and only 8 in Mexico. The 16. By the 1790’s the Galleon Trade had fallen the hard times.
Galleon Trade . . . .   In 1568,Miguel Lopez de Legazpi’s New efforts to promote trade liberalization and economic
own ship the San Pablo (300 tons) was the 1st Galleon to be development had been made under Charles III.  The last years
wrecked in route to Mexico.  of the Trade. . . . The Mexican War of independence broke out
6. The Philippines was considered interestingly as “a colony of in 1810, and 1813 the Mexican patriot Morelos took and held
a colony” with Mexico as the most favored colony of Spain Acapulco for few months;  during this occupation, the Manila
renamed as Nueva España or New Spain The Philippines was Galleon was prevented from unloading and had to retire to San
for the first 200 years under Mexico receiving and annual Blas up the coast. 
subsidy known as the “situado” A colony of a colony. . . .   17. Finally, a conservative position was taken in a decree of
September 14, 1813; the Galleon Trade was to be discontinued,
but in its place private Philippine ships could trade at Acapulco. Persia, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, etc. – Manila How
 The last years of the Trade. . . . The Manila-Acapulco Galleon Africa was connected to the Spanish Empire: African trading
Trade earned for the Filipinos the reputation as the “Ablest ports – Portuguese Brazil; Portuguese Brazil – Trading ports in
Asiatic Seamen”  The Galleon Trade between Manila and Spanish America
Acapulco opened the Philippines to the world. 
5. Manila China: silk, porcelain, gemstones, ivory, jade, gold,
18. The galleons attracted avid attention of various and sundry other Chinese goods Acapulco, Mexico (Nueva España)
freebooters, pirates, privateers, and ultimately state navies.  Sampan trade Japan: silverware, silk, other Japanese goods
The disadvantage . . . Spice Islands (Moluccas): nutmeg, cloves, mace, pepper and
other spices Other parts of Southeast Asia: porcelain from
19. A Royal Order in 1582 cut off the Peruvian Trade, followed Thailand and Vietnam, textiles, sandalwood, ivory, pepper and
by laws passed in 1591, 1592, 1593, 1595 and 1604 prohibiting other spices India and Persia: Jewels, carpets, damasks, spices,
trade between China and the Philippines with all of Spain’s other goods Philippines: hardwoods, textiles, bird’s nests,
American possession except Mexico. To ensure that no Asian spices, pearls, mangoes, tamarind
silks reached Peru. The Restrictive System. . .
6. Manila Africa: coffee, ivory Europe: Christianity, language,
20. a.) Necessary to measure cargo space in the galleons and immigrants, priests, wines, olive oil, textiles, luxury products
allot rights to such space to shippers. In carrying the Restrictive and other goods Acapulco, Mexico Americas: maize and
System,. . . b.) The right to ship on the galleon was represented Mexican silver currency (dollars) from Mexico, immigrants,
by a boleta - a ticket corresponding to one pieza for a value of priests, silver from Bolivia, gold, horses, cows, tobacco,
125 pesos c.) The distribution of boleta was handled differently sugarcane, pineapples, vanilla, cacao; other plant products such
at different times. as some flowering plants, orchids, and fruit trees like guavas,
papayas, apples; vegetables such as eggplants, bitter gourd,
21. A full evaluation of the galleon trade lies beyond the scope
squash, sayote, cigarillas, etc. Root crops such as potatoes and
of the present work, but some points can be made briefly.
peanuts from Peru, carrots, sweet potato and cassava (manioc)
Despite the charge of industrial neglect, the galleons to the end
carried Philippine textiles, which could not be said of 7. A three-tiered economy emerged in the Philippines First
subsequent phases of the trade. A Brief Appraisal . . . .   economy: characterized by monopoly – Spaniards who
Have been the establishment of Manila as the first primate city controlled and benefitted from the galleon trade in Manila
in Southeast Asia  The incorporation of the Philippines into Second economy: dominated by Chinese and Chinese mestizos;
the first modern world economy based on Seville and the characterized by retail and redistribution of goods bought at
Atlantic  wholesale from the galleons; Third economy: or native
economy; characterized by small enterprises and subsistence
22. Schurz, William Lytle, The Manila Galleon References ; agriculture
www.wikipedia.com Legarda, After the Galleons
8. Effects of the Galleon Trade The Philippines was drawn to
1. The Galleon Trade 1565 - 1815 what is now called the first world economy of modern times
2. The Manila Galleon or “Nap de China” was the first route to Manila became the most important city in Asia in the 1600’s;
sail through the Pacific Ocean as a link between Asia and other competing cities emerged in the 1700’s The galleons
America. Through this route, and after having colonized became the means by which Hispanic culture was brought to
Philippines, Spain controlled this commercial route for almost the Philippines; Cultural exchange between Spanish America
three centuries, uniting Seville, Philippines and Mexico. The and the Philippines; the Philippines was integrated into the
Manila-Acapulco galleon trade began when the Augustinian Hispano-world; migration between the Philippines and the rest
friar, Andrés de Urdaneta, sailing in convoy under Miguel of the empire Because up to 80% of the crews manning the
López de Legazpi, discovered a return route from Cebu City to galleons were Philippine natives, Filipinos eventually became
Mexico in 1565. The galleon trade started in the same year; the known as Asia’s ablest seamen Since most of the galleons were
first galleon sailed from Cebu. Until 1593 there were two built in the Philippines, the tradition of shipbuilding in the
Philippine cities involved in the trade: Cebu and Manila. The islands, already present before the Spaniards came, was
trade served as the main source of income for the Philippines continued although modified. Filipinos became known as great
colony until early 1800’s. Although the trade was officially shipbuilders Growth of the Chinese and Chinese-mestizo
ended in 1815 due to the Mexican War of Independence, the communities in the Philippines Introduction of Mexican peso
last of the galleons set sail in 1820. Andres de Urdaneta into Asia; the Philippine peso was derived from it

3. Known as the “longest shipping line in history,” a total of 9. Introduction of plant products and animals from the
110 galleons were used in the trade. 102 of the galleons were Americas to the Philippines Because it was the main economic
built in the Philippines while the other 8 in Mexico. 2 were built activity that sustained the Philippine colony for 250 years, the
in Cebu, some in Leyte, but most of the galleons were massive exploitation of natives in plantations and mines that
constructed in Cavite. right: shipyard in Cavite The galleons happened in the America did not occur in the Philippines until
were the largest class of ships known to have been built the galleon trade was abandoned in early 1800’s But… Since
anywhere up to that time. In the 16th century, they averaged Manila was the only city opened to the trade, commerce in other
from 1,700 to 2,000 tons, were built of Philippine hardwoods port cities in the Philippines declined; Cebu, once a vibrant
and could carry a thousand passengers. The Concepción, commercial entrepot linked to other ports in Asia, was reduced
wrecked in 1638, was 43 to 49 m (140–160 feet) long and to a settlement the size of a small town Since Manila only
displacing some 2,000 tons. The Santísima Trinidad was 51.5 functioned as a trans-shipment point and commerce in other
m long. parts of the islands was discouraged, no genuine industries that
inspired commercial and technological innovations among
4. Main Trade Routes of the Global Economy controlled by natives emerged; natives therefore became indolent Abuse of
Spain and Portugal How the Philippines was connected to Spain native laborers and seamen in shipyards and in the ships Profits
/ Europe: Manila – Acapulco, Mexico; Veracruz, Mexico – in the trade were monopolized by Spaniards in Manila Manila
Seville, Spain How Asia was connected to Manila: China – and other parts of the Philippines became an attractive target for
Manila (Sampan Trade); Portuguese Macau - Manila India, privateers and other imperial powers: in 1574 the Chinese pirate
,Limahong, attacked Manila; in 1600 the Dutch blockaded the
Manila galleons; in 1610, 1617, 1625, 1648 the Dutch attacked
the Philippines; from 1762-64, the British occupied Manila

10. The Sampan Trade Because direct trade with Spanish port
cities in the Americas was prohibited, Chinese traders did
commerce with Spaniards in Manila. This trade complimented
the galleon trade and became known as the Sampan Trade. It is
named after the kind of ships – sampan (Chinese junks) – used
by Chinese merchants. Attracted to the commercial prospects
offered by the trade with the Spanish, a Chinese community
steadily grew in Manila and other cities. Coexistence between
the Chinese and Spaniards was marked by distrust. Sometimes
it resulted to rebellions which resulted to massacres of Chinese
residents in Manila. Since most of the Chinese who migrated to
the Philippine colony were males, intermarriages between
natives and Chinese occurred. The mestizo-Chinese were
disconnected from their Chinese heritage because they lived in
Hispanized households and given their own mestizo district. In
times of conflict they tended to ally with themselves with the
Spanish.