Battle at Manila Bay The Philippines provided Spain's main base in the Pacific. The islands' people were called Filipinos. They had repeatedly tried to throw off Spanish colonial rule. In 1898, they were trying again. Led by General Emilio Aguinaldo (ah-ghee-NAHL-doh), they had begun attacking the Spanish army and government officials. Now their struggle was about to become part of the war between the United States and Spain.
Dewey's fleet arrived in Manila, the Philippine capital, just five days after the United States declared war against Spain. At dawn on May 1, 1898, U.S. battleships faced Spanish gunships. As naval bands struck up "The Star-Spangled Banner," sailors stood on deck and saluted the flag. These men were about to engage in what would be the first battle of the Spanish-American War.
By 11 A.M., the entire Spanish fleet was burning, sunk, or sinking. Spain's old wooden ships could not compete with the modern steel U.S. ships run by well-trained crews. Only one American had died in the battle.
Defeating the Spanish Dewey blockaded Manila's port until U.S. troops could arrive to take over the city. Filipino fighters that were allied with Dewey surrounded Manila. The Filipinos believed that the coming Americans would help them gain independence. While they waited, Aguinaldo issued the Philippine Declaration of Independence. He also formed a national government and designed a national flag.
U.S. troops showed up. The Spanish agreed to "lose" a fake battle and surrender to the Americans. They did not want to give themselves up to the Filipinos, who resented Spanish rule so intensely.
A long war between the United States
and the Filipinos, who resisted U.S.
control, resulted in heavy casualties.
More than 20,000 Filipinos were
killed before the Philippines became
independent in 1946.
Fighting the Filipinos In a treaty negotiated after the surrender, the United States "bought" the Philippines from Spain for $20 million. Then, in 1899, Congress voted to annex the Philippines.
Aguinaldo's government felt betrayed. The Filipino leader angrily called for "war without quarter to the false Americans who have deceived us! Either independence or death!" More than 80,000 Filipino fighters fought off better-trained and better-armed U.S. troops for three years. Soldiers on both sides tortured prisoners. Americans became increasingly cruel. They harmed civilians and destroyed villages.
Some Americans protested that denying independence to the Philippines violated U.S. ideals. Carl Schurz was a leader among antiimperialists. He said, "We shall, for the first time since the abolition of slavery, again have two kinds of Americans: Americans of the first class, who enjoy the privilege of taking part in the Government …and Americans of the second class, who are to be ruled … by the Americans of the first class."
However, the expansionists won the day. Senator Henry Cabot Lodge argued that "Manila with its magnificent bay … will keep us open to the markets of China." President McKinley himself believed that the Philippines could become "a land of plenty."
More than 20,000 Filipinos and about 4,000 Americans died in the struggle. The revolt was finally put down. The Americans set up a nonmilitary government to "prepare Filipinos for independence." Americans built roads, hospitals, and schools. But the United States did not grant the Philippines independence until 1946.
Arranges these events in the correct chronological order:Note them 1-4
Filipino fighters declare independence.____
The United States defeats the Spanish fleet at Manila Bay____
U.S annexes the Philippines____
Filipino forces launch a rebellion against U.S rule.______
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Here is the correct chronological order of the events:
So, the order would be:
1 - The United States defeats the Spanish fleet at Manila Bay 2 - Filipino fighters declare independence 3 - U.S. annexes the Philippines 4 - Filipino forces launch a rebellion against U.S. rule
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