Philippine History Chapter 7

Chapter 7
1. Besides the commercial and religious goals of Spain in colonizing the Philippines, give two other reasons (political and legal) why Spain claimed the country as its possession or the property of the king of Spain. The Spain colonized the Philippines because they want to expand the Spanish empire and they want to become the most powerful empire in the world.
2. What is meant by “crown colony?” Can you give an example of a present “crown colony?” Crown colony controls legislature and administration, as distinguished from one having a constitution and representative. It also refers to the colonies which had been acquired through wars. The examples of crown colony are Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India, and etc.
3. Why was the governor-general powerful? Enumerate his powers. The governor-general is powerful because he needs to control all the people in a certain country with the use of his powers. His powers were vast and included the executive and a little legislative and judicial power as well.
4. Define or explain the following:
a. cumplace – a privilege held by the governor-general in the Philippines during Spanish rule that gave him power to suspend royal degrees.
b. Audiencia - a court of appeals in Spain and its empire.
c. Superior decree - an executive superior order issued by a head of state.
d. indulto de comercio – the right given to alcalde mayor to engage in trade.
e. capitan – a municipal judge or governor in the Philippines during the Spanish colonial period, who carried out in a town the combined charges or responsibilities of leadership, economic, and judicial administration. Also called gobernadorcillo (little governor).
f. principalia - the ruling and usually educated upper class in the towns of colonial Philippines, composed of the gobernadorcillo, and the cabezas de barangay who governed the districts.
g. cabeza de barangay - the leader or chief of a barangay in the Philippines during the Spanish colonial period.
h. ayuntamiento – equivalent to today’s city hall, consisted of two alcaldes, twelve regidores, a chief of police, a city secretary, and a few other lesser officials.
5. How did the Spanish king try to lessen, if not completely prevent, the abuses of Spanish officials? How effective were the steps taken by the king to stop these abuses? The Spanish king lessen the abuses of Spanish officials by controlling them.
6. What is your opinion on the effects of forced labor on the Filipino laborers? Explain your answer. The Filipino laborers were being abused in this policy because the Spaniards are forcing them to work without any payment or share on their crops.
7. Name and define some of the taxes imposed on the Filipinos by the Spanish government. Discuss with your classmates whether these were necessary or not.
The diezmos prediales was a tax which consisted of one-tenth of the produce of the land. The donativo de Zamboanga was a tax specifically used for the conquest of Jolo. The vinta was a tax paid by the people of some provinces along the coast of western Luzon for the defense of the coasts from Muslim pirates. I think these are necessary if it doesn’t abuse the Filipinos or the natives.
8. What was the effect of the galleon trade on the Philippines? Why did it decline its prosperous start? The galleon trade was the main source of income for both the government and the church leadership. It decline its prosperous start because The economy of Philippines slowed down.
9. How did the Economic Society help to improve the economy of the Philippines? The Economic Society helps to improve the economy of the Philippines because its main goal is to improve the standards of economic research and instruction in the country.
10. Why were monopolies established during the Spanish period? What were the bad effects of the established monopolies? What were their advantages? Monopolies were established during the Spanish period because they want to had a right to prohibit the exportation and importation by any agency not connected with the government. The bad effect of the established monopolies was their purpose of abusing the farmer’s family. The advantages was the right of the government to purchase a certain product.