Is the Philippines a U.S. Territory?
The Republic of the Philippines is an independent nation. It was a U.S. territory from 1898 until 1946, when it was granted full independence.
The United States acquired the Philippines after the Spanish-American War in 1898. The Philippines had rebelled against Spain in 1897. Their leader, Emilio Aguinaldo, declared Filipino independence on June 12, 1898. The Americans collaborated with the rebels but refused to honor their independence. The American commander, Commodore George Dewey, collaborated with the Spanish commander of Manila to seize the city in a bloodless battle. The Americans immediately established themselves as the rulers of the Philippines. The rebels spent the next three years fighting with American forces but failed to drive them from the country. The United States defeated the rebellion in 1902. In 1936, the United States made the Philippines a self-governing commonwealth before granting it full independence in 1946.
