MARIANNA ESTHER G.
GAYATIN
BSHM MH 2-3
MODULE 5
SKETCH TO STRETCH
According to Anderson (2004) and Wickberg (1964), what were the ethnic racial
categories used during the Spanish colonial period? Illustrate the relations between
these social categories through sketch or drawing,
The Spanish had a system of hierarchy which ranked tribes in a certain order and the
order were; Peninsulares, Criollos, Mestizos, Filipinos and Indios the lowest ranked
group.
ASSESSMENT
1. What were the historical conditions that led to the emergence of the Chinese
mestizos as an important element of the Philippine society?
During the Spanish colonial era, the conditions that led to the emergence of Chinese
mestizos as influential members of the Philippine society were their contributions to the
Philippine society in terms of the world of trade, industry, and commerce. By importing
or collecting goods from the north and exporting them to Manila and neighboring
provinces, they carried on a profitable trade. Within the Philippines, they dominated
internal trade, while the Spanish mestizos were concerned about international trade.
Thanks to the emergence of the Philippine bourgeoisie, the ambitious influence of the
Chinese mestizos gave rise to the bourgeoisie as more involved and enterprising,
smarter and more changing, more experienced in trade and commerce than the Indios.
The occurrence within the Philippines of a Chinese mestizo group is often understood
only by first considering brief features of the history of the Chinese within the
Philippines. The Chinese pushed into a critical economic position shortly after the
Spaniards arrived. Chinese merchants conducted upscale trade between Manila and
the Chinese coast as well, distributing imports from China to the Central Luzon region,
just north of Manila. In or near Spanish towns, the Chinese established themselves,
serving them in different ways: as food suppliers, as retail traders, and as artisans.
Since such practices were easily monopolized by the Chinese, the Spanish came to
believe that their services were indispensable.
2. What were the implications of their ascendance?
Chinese mestizos became prominent and influential figures in the area of industry,
commerce, and business during the Spanish colonial period. By collecting goods from
the north and exporting them to Manila and neighboring provinces, they carried on a
lucrative business. They monopolized the internal trade in the Philippines, while
international trade involved the Spanish mestizos. The Chinese mestizos'
entrepreneurial power gave way to the emergence of the Philippine middle class,
identified as more productive and enterprising, more cautious and pioneering than the
Indians, more oriented to trade and trade. The creation of the Filipino identity was also
carried out by Chinese mestizos in Philippine society. This was obvious as they were
clearly dominant in the economy of the Philippines as a Spanish colony during the latter
part of the 19th century. This prompted the Spaniards to worry about the potential of the
Chinese Mestizos to cause social discord. At the turn of the century, the important role
of Chinese mestizos in the making of the nation was highly evident. Their participation
in the armed rebellion against the colonizers demonstrated that Spain was regarded as
the enemy. The Philippine Revolution of 1869 to 1898 was the act of determination on
both the part of the Filipinos-Indios and the Chinese mestizos to claim the incomparable
birthright of nationhood for themselves and for future generations.
