United States Colonization of the Philippines Essay

United States Colonization of the Philippines - Essay Example The period between 1898 and 1946 became a time when the Philippines underwent torture, enslavement and loss of their individual rights. Therefore, the colonization of the US was oppressive to the people of Philippine and it benefit for the US. In the year 1898, Philippines fought against exploitation by Spain and managed to reach a treaty. Therefore, the country was in the process of reconstruction before the US arrived in this country. The US disguised in its entry and pretended to have the motive of conducting business with this country. Although trade was part of the plan, it dawned that the purpose of the invasion was to take advantage of the country and leverage economic benefits from the country. In April 1898, the US army engaged the Philippines in war, which led to the death of many people. In the year 1902, the US government elected a civil law to govern the people of Spain (Fitzpatrick and Richard 840-845). This resulted into a tough battle between the two sides, but the Philippines had to finally give up and submit to the rule of the US. Therefore, Philippines served under the rule of Spain in the next 40 years. The motive of the US government to enter Philippine became clear immediately after it took over in the country. To begin with, the government took over the land that the Philippines had invested their efforts on. They were dispossessed of the rice and wheat lands that they had ploughed. The citizens served in these lands with little or no pay, what amounts to slavery. The US took advantage of the fertile lands to develop their industrial sector, which was the main reason for the expansionism strategy. In fact, many Americans became natives of Philippine and they even retained their identities after independence in 1946. The motive of the US was much similar to that of other western countries in the period of colonization. It was a strategy to