Vincent Marie A. Laspiñas History 1- Section 8 Brief Essay 2 Life in 19th Century The Philippines had changed dramatically in recent years. It is no longer a country ruled by other countries. We have our own freedom, including the ability to speak for ourselves and the ability to choose who we want to be. We became democratic, and we now have the right to elect a capable leader who can lead us to greater prosperity. Other countries may have colonized us, but they made significant contributions to who we are today. The Philippines was shaped in numerous ways during the nineteenth century, including economic, political, cultural, and social concerns. Mendoza (1999) states that the friars' persistent exploitation and involvement in the people's political, economic, and social lives made their dominance so ubiquitous and oppressive that propagandists and reformists in the Philippines urged their departure. During the nineteenth century, agriculture was the biggest contributor to the economy. Because of its openness to world trade and plenty of tobacco, sugar, abaka, and coffee, the Philippines became a significant exporter of these items and gained international recognition. During today agriculture is still the livelihood of many Filipinos. For more than 300 years, Spain has dominated the Philippines. Slavery and corruption had taken over the Philippines. As both the state and the church are led by Spaniards and Friars, including Dominicans, Augustinians, and Franciscans, the lives of Filipinos have become more complicated. However, The Spanish were never able to establish governmental control over the entire archipelago, and the colonial period was marked by numerous conflicts—as well as illegal exchanges—between subjugated and autonomous Filipino peoples (Grey Art Gallery, 2000). The Spaniards introduced Christianity and were successful in converting the vast majority of Filipinos. At least 83 percent of the whole population is Roman Catholic (Geneva, 2020). The Philippines was also influenced by the paintings and architecture that we can found in the masterpiece of every Filipino artist. During these times the Spaniards were all belong to the highest class since they rule the country. They do no concern if they killed thousands of innocent Filipinos for their own sake. They are in charge in secularization, reform, and revolution to expand their territory. However, the Filipinos suffer from the inhumane management of the colonizer since they belong to the lowest class. They choose to be silent and followed the Spaniards in order to live. Corruption is still prominent in today's world, as capitalist elites continue to place the country's money in their pockets, ignoring the fact that many Filipinos suffered from poverty. Injustice persists, with those with power and money taking all of the credit while people who are innocent continue to suffer. Fortunately, unlike in the nineteenth century, we have now the freedom-the freedom to speak and the freedom to be heard. We are no longer under any countries. We choose for our own leader, we make our own choice, we rule our own country. Throughout the 350-year reign of Spain and the 50-year reign of the United States, colonizers coopted the traditional Filipino landed and educated elite into the colonial government based in Manila, perpetuating the latter's social, economic, and political dominance of Philippine society, a consequence that is still felt today (Einsiedel, 2020). The nineteenth century depicted the lives of early Filipinos under colonists, including their suffering and quest for liberation. We would not have the life we have today if it was not for the courageous heroes who gave their blood for our country. Bibliography Einsiedel, N.V., ( 2020). Colonization Impact on Manila. Retrieved from http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/colonizations-impact-on-manila Geneva, (2020). Travelling to Philippines. Retrieved from https://genevapcg.dfa.gov.ph/the-philippines2 Grey Art Gallery, (2000). The Filipino Other. Sheer Realities: A Celebration of Philippine Culture. Retrieved from https://greyartgallery.nyu.edu/exhibition/sheer-realities-022300-042200/ Mendoza, R., (1999). Religion and secularization in the Philippines and other Asian countries. Cultural Identity and Modernization in Asian Countries. Retrieved from https://www2.kokugakuin.ac.jp/ijcc/wp/cimac/mendoza.html Realities: A Celebration of Philippine Culture
