A short history of the Philippines
Island kingdoms, three centuries of Spain, revolution, America, war and independence, and the places where you can still see it.
Quick answer
- Before 1521: independent communities (barangays), sultanates in the south, and trade with China, Borneo and beyond.
- 1521 to 1898: Magellan arrives in 1521; Spain founds Cebu in 1565 and Manila in 1571 and rules for over 300 years.
- 1896 to 1898: revolution against Spain, and independence declared on 12 June 1898.
- 1898 to 1946: American rule, the Commonwealth from 1935, and Japanese occupation in the Second World War.
- Since 1946: independence on 4 July 1946, martial law from 1972, and the People Power Revolution of 1986.
The Philippines is an archipelago of more than 7,000 islands where Asian, Islamic, Spanish and American histories meet. Here is the story in brief, with the best places to see each chapter.
Before Spain
For thousands of years, people lived in independent communities called barangays, led by a datu. Islands traded with China, Borneo, the Malay world and beyond: Chinese porcelain turns up in burials across the country. From the 14th century, Islam spread through the south, and the sultanates of Sulu and Maguindanao became powerful states. In the north, Cordillera peoples built the Ifugao rice terraces.
Spain arrives (1521 to 1898)
Ferdinand Magellan reached Cebu in 1521 and was killed soon after in the Battle of Mactan, fighting the local leader Lapu-Lapu. Spain returned under Miguel López de Legazpi, founding a settlement in Cebu in 1565 and making Manila the capital in 1571.
For more than 300 years, Spain ruled from Manila. Catholic friars built churches across the islands, and the galleon trade linked Manila with Acapulco in Mexico. See Intramuros, the old walled city, Vigan and the Baroque churches.
Revolution (1896 to 1898)
In the late 1800s, educated Filipinos such as José Rizal called for reform. Rizal’s novels angered the Spanish authorities, and he was executed in Manila in 1896. The secret society Katipunan, led by Andrés Bonifacio, launched a revolution that year. Under Emilio Aguinaldo, the revolutionaries declared independence on 12 June 1898.
American rule (1898 to 1946)
After the Spanish–American War, Spain ceded the Philippines to the United States in 1898. The Philippine–American War followed from 1899. American rule brought English, public schools and new roads, and from 1935 the Philippines had its own Commonwealth government, on the path to independence.
War (1941 to 1945)
Japan invaded in December 1941. The occupation brought great suffering, including the Bataan Death March, and the Battle of Manila in 1945 left the city in ruins. Many of Coron’s famous wrecks are Japanese ships sunk in 1944.
Independence and after (since 1946)
The United States recognised the Republic of the Philippines on 4 July 1946. Ferdinand Marcos declared martial law in 1972. In February 1986, the peaceful People Power Revolution on EDSA, a Manila highway, ended his rule. Since then the country has been a democracy with an elected president.
Where to see history
- Intramuros and Fort Santiago, Manila, for Spanish Manila and Rizal’s last days.
- The National Museum, Manila, for precolonial gold, pottery and the San Diego shipwreck. See our Manila guide.
- Magellan’s Cross and Fort San Pedro, Cebu City. See our Cebu guide.
- Vigan, for the best-preserved Spanish colonial town.
- Corregidor, an island fortress at the mouth of Manila Bay, for the Second World War.
Photo gallery
Frequently asked questions
When did the Philippines become independent?
The revolutionaries declared independence from Spain on 12 June 1898, which is celebrated as Independence Day. The United States recognised Philippine independence on 4 July 1946.
Why is the country called the Philippines?
It is named after King Philip II of Spain. The name was given by the Spanish explorer Ruy López de Villalobos in the 1540s.
Who is the national hero?
José Rizal, the writer and reformer executed by the Spanish in Manila in 1896. His monument stands in Rizal Park.
Was all of the Philippines under Spanish rule?
Not fully. The Muslim sultanates of Mindanao and Sulu and many upland peoples, such as those of the Cordillera, resisted Spanish control for centuries.
What was People Power?
A largely peaceful mass protest on EDSA, a Manila highway, in February 1986 that ended the rule of President Ferdinand Marcos.
We checked this guide against the 3 sources listed below. Last updated 14 November 2026. Basis: researched from official sources. Written and edited by Delfin, with AI-assisted research (how we work). Prices, hours and rules change, so confirm before you travel. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
