Written Accounts

Primary Source Document #1

Emilio Aguinaldo, “True Version of the Philippine Revolution” (1899)

As president, Aguinaldo led the self-proclaimed Philippine Republic during the Philippine-American War (1899-1902). In 1899 he wrote a short book outlining his perspective of U.S. –Filipino relations. He appealed to the democratic sentiments of U.S. citizens, likening to his movement to the American Revolution.

            To All Civilized Nations and Especially to the Great North American Republic

Spain maintained control of the Philippine Islands for more than three centuries and a half, during which period the tyranny, misconduct and abuses of the Friars and the Civil and Military Administration exhausted the patience of the natives and caused them to make a desperate effort to shake off the unbearable galling yoke…

… the Commander urged me to return to the Philippines to renew hostilities against the Spaniards with the object of gaining our independence, and he assured me of the assistance of the United States in the event of war between the United States and Spain.

When the Spaniards ran out of ammunition and surrendered, with all their arms, to the Filipino Revolutionists, who took their prisoners to Cavite. In commemoration of this glorious achievement I hoisted our national flag in presence of a great crowd, who greeted it with tremendous applause and loud, spontaneous and prolonged cheers for “Independent Philippines” and for “the generous nation”—the United States of America.

This glorious triumph was merely the prelude to a succession of brilliant victories, and when the 31st May came—the date fixed for general uprising of the whole of the Philippines—the people rose as one man to crush the power of Spain.

In the course of official business General Anderson solemnly and completely endorsed the promises to me, asserting on his word of honour that America had not come to the Philippines to wage war against the natives nor to conquer and retain territory, but only to liberate the people from the oppression of the Spanish Government.

I, Emilio Aguinaldo—though the humble servant of all, am, as President of the Philippine Republic, charged with the safeguarding of the rights and independence of the people who appointed me to such an exalted position of trust and responsibility—mistrusted for the first time the honour of the Americans … no other course was open to me but to repel with arms such unjust and unexpected procedure on the part of the commander of friendly forces.

I need not dwell on the cruelty which, from the time of the commencement of hostilities, has characterized General Otis’s treatment of the Filipinos, shooting in secret many who declined to sign a petition asking for autonomy. I need not recapitulate the ruffianly abuses which the American soldiers committed on innocent and defenseless people in Manila, shooting women and children simply because they were leaning out of windows; entering houses at midnight without the occupants’ permission—forcing open trunks and wardrobes and stealing money, jewelry and all valuables they came across…

Are we, perchance, less deserving of liberty and independence than those revolutionists? Oh, dear Philippines! Blame your wealth, your beauty for the stupendous disgrace that rests upon your faithful sons. You have aroused the ambition of the Imperialists and Expansionists of North America and both have placed their sharp claws upon your entrails!

…So I trust in the rectitude of the great people of the United States of America, where, if there are ambitious Imperialists, there are defenders of the humane doctrines of the immortal Monroe, Franklin, and Washington; unless the race of noble citizens, glorious founders of the present greatness of the North American Republic, have so degenerated that their benevolent influence has become subservient to the grasping ambition of the Expansionists…

Distressing, indeed, is war! Its ravages cause us horror. Luckless Filipinos succumb in the confusion of combat, leaving behind them mothers, widows and children. America should not continue a war in contravention of their honourable traditions as enunciated by Washington and Jefferson.

The veracity of these facts rests upon my word as President of this Republic and on the honour of the whole population of eight million souls, who, for more than three hundred years have been sacrificing the lives and wealth of their brave sons to obtain due recognition of the natural rights of mankind—liberty and independence.

DBQs

  1. Describe how the author portrays the United States.
  2. How does the author portray himself and the Filipino Revolution?
  3. What does the writing say about the author’s education level?
  4. Do you think this writing was widely circulated in the United States? Why or why not?

 

Emilio Aguinaldo, True Version of the Philippine Revolution, (Tarlak, P.I., 1899), Dedication, 6-7, 10-11, , 24-25, 41-43, 54-59.

 

Primary Source Document #2

Private William Grayson, “Aguinaldo: A Narrative of Filipino Ambitions”

The Filipinos had become suspicious of the true motives of the United States in going to the Philippines. Their suspicions were confirmed by the Treaty of Paris under which Spain ceded the Philippines to the United States. Neither Spain nor the United States gave Felipe Agoncillo, Aguinaldo’s special envoy, a chance to present the wishes of the Filipinos in the Paris peace talks. Suspicion turned to hostility, and war between the two sides became inevitable. The Filipinos were outraged when they learned that Spain had ceded the country to the United States.

On the night of February 4, 1899  an American sentry, Private William W. Grayson, with another soldier, encountered three armed Filipinos on a bridge in San Juan del Monte near Manila. Recalling the incident, Grayson said:

About eight o’clock, Miller and I were cautiously pacing our district. We came to a fence and were trying to see what the Filipinos were up to.

Suddenly, near at hand, on our left, there was a low but unmistakable Filipino outpost signal whistle. It was immediately answered by a similar whistle about twenty-five yards to the right. Then a red lantern flashed a signal from blockhouse number seven. We had never seen such a sign used before. In a moment, something rose up slowly in front of us. It was a Filipino.

I yelled Halt! and made it pretty loud, for I was accustomed to challenging the officer of the guard in approved military style. I challenged him with another loud halt! Then he shouted halto! to me. Well, I thought the best thing to do was to shoot him. He dropped. If I didn’t kill him, I guess he died of fright. Two Filipinos sprang out of the gateway about fifteen feet from us. I called halt! and Miller fired and dropped one. I saw that another was left. Well, I think I got my second Filipino that time….

The Filipino troops fired back at the American lines and before the night was over, fighting had broken out between Filipino and American forces.

DBQs

  1. What occurred between the U.S. soldiers and the Filipinos?
  2. Why would the Filipino challenge the U.S. Soldier
  3. Do you think that either side knew what the consequences of their actions would be?
  4. How do you think this situation could have been handled better?

 

 

Private William Grayson, in Edwin Wildman, Aguinaldo: A Narrative of Filipino Ambitions(Norwood, MA, Norwood Press, 1901).

 

 

Primary Source Document #3

President William McKinley, “Decision on the Philippines” (1900)

At the end of the Spanish-American war, pressure on President McKinley to annex the Philippines was intense. After originally deciding against the United States annexing the Philippines, he changed his mind out of fear that another power would seize the Philippines. After Dewey defeated the Spanish fleet at Manila Bay, a German fleet sought to set up a naval base there. The British, French, and Japanese also sought bases in the Philippines. Unaware that the Philippines were the only predominantly Catholic nation in Asia, President McKinley said that American occupation was necessary to “uplift and Christianize” the Filipinos.

“When next I realized that the Philippines had dropped into our laps, I confess I did not know what to do with them. I sought counsel from all sides-Democrats as well as Republicans-but got little help. I thought first we would take only Manila; then Luzon; then other islands, perhaps, also.

I walked the floor of the White House night after night until midnight; and I am not ashamed to tell you, gentlemen, that I went down on my knees and prayed to Almighty God for light and guidance more than one night. And one night late it came to me this way-I don’t know how it was, but it came:

That we could not give them back to Spain-that would be cowardly and dishonorable; That we could not turn them over to France or Germany, our commercial rivals in the Orient-that would be bad business and discreditable; That we could not leave them to themselves-they were unfit for self-government, and they would soon have anarchy and misrule worse then Spain’s was; and That there was nothing left for us to do but to take them all, and to educate the Filipinos, and uplift and civilize and Christianize them and by God’s grace do the very best we could by them, as our fellow men for whom Christ also died.

And then I went to bed and went to sleep, and slept soundly, and the next morning I sent for the chief engineer of the War Department, and I told him to put the Philippines on the map of the United States, and there they are and there they will stay while I am President!”

DBQs:

  1. How does President McKinley appeal to the morals of the American public?
  1. What were reasons that made McKinley chose to annex the Philippines
  1. How do you think the Filipinos felt about this decision?
  1. Describe the significance of President McKinley’s decision?