The history of the Philippines encompasses periods of occupation by Spain, England, the United States and Japan. Although the Philippines have been independent since 1946, the nearly four centuries of occupation and colonial rule still impact Filipino government and culture.The Wilson Center: Plumbing the Past: The Impact of History on Philippine Institutions and Democracy (July 26 2006) The Colonial Mentality Project: What is Colonial Mentality?...(2006)

Indonesians and Chinese traders migrated to the Philippines, joining the indigenous Negritos on the island.

The Philippines were ruled by Spain for 300 years.Geocities.com: Spanish Colonization in the Philippines Spain brought Roman Catholicism to the Philippines, and influenced Filipino culture in areas such as education, language and clothing. Some Filipino foods, such as paella, also originated with the Spaniards.

Spain sold the Philippines to the Americans in 1898. English remains an official Filipino language to this day. Food like hamburgers, American bread and hotdogs have also been incorporated into the Filipino diet.

Japan attacked Clark Field on December 8, 1941, the day after the attack on Pearl Harbor. General Douglas MacArthur withdrew U.S. troops, and Japan occupied the Philippines for the remainder of World War II.Geocities.com: Japanese Era

• YouTube Video: Philippine History (Time: 02:33)

• Tribo.org: Tribung Pinoy's Philippine History 101

• Blog: R. Balboa's Trivia: History (August 15, 1999)

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