The Spanish Regime
March 17, 1521. Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese navigator accidentally landed in the island of Samar.
March 31, 1521. The first Catholic mass was held in Limasawa, an island in the south of Leyte.
April 27, 1521. Magellan died in the hands of a chieftain, Lapu-lapu, from his strong will to invade the island of Mactan.
February 13 1565. Another group of explorers headed by General Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, arrived in Cebu and insisted their claim for the island.
June 3, 1571. After defeating Raja Sulayman in a battle in Bangkusay, Martin de Goiti claimed autonomy of Manila.
June 24, 1571. Legazpi established Manila as the capital city with himself as Governor-General.
April 14, 1617. The Spanish fleet headed by Juan Ronquillo prevented the British attempt to invade Manila in the battle of Playa-Homda.
October 3, 1646. For the second time, the Spanish fleet defeated the British warship in Manila Bay. This event is commemorated in a yearly feast called " La Naval de Manila".
October 5, 1762. The British fleet defeated the Spanish warship allowing the British rule the country for two years.
March 17, 1764. The British surrendered the country to Spain after losing a battle during the seven-year war between them.
October 31, 1829. Francisco Dagohoy, a cabeza de barangay of Bohol and the leader of the longest uprising (8 years), surrendered to the Spaniards.
September 6, 1834. Manila was opened to international trade leading to a remarkable transformation of its economy.
February 15, 1889. The establishment of La Solidaridad, the newspaper founded by Graciano Lopez Jaena to voice out the Filipinos cry for reforms.
September 18, 1891. Jose Rizal finished his novel El Filibusterismo following the first, Noli Me Tangere. Both portrayed the struggling life of the Filipinos under the Spanish rule.
July 3, 1892. Jose Rizal established La Liga Filipina, a civic movement aimed at reuniting Filipinos to act together for reforms and autonomy from the unjust administration of the Spaniards.
July 7, 1892. Jose Rizal was captured and exiled to Dapitan in Mindanao. There he served as a doctor, a scientist and a teacher to the locals.
July 7, 1892. At the same day of Rizal’s capture, Andres Bonifacio, Teodoro Plata and Valentin Diaz established the "Katipunan", a revolutionary movement aimed to fight for freedom against Spain.
August 19, 1896. The Spaniards learned the Katipunan movement that resulted to a massive capture of many Filipinos.
August 23, 1896. Bonifacio and his fellow Katipuneros tore their cedulas or residence certificates while shouting "Long live the Philippines", during their preparation for battle. This was marked as the historic Cry of Balintawak.
August 25, 1896. The Katipuneros headed by Bonifacio had their first encounter with the Spanish civil guards and infantrymen. Due to strong forces and large presence of the Filipino troops, both camps of the Spaniards retreated. But in the end, Filipinos lost the battle when the latter came back with large number of fighters and stronger ammunition.
