The rhetoric and racialization of Filipinos can be connected with the colonization of the Philippines by the US. The Philippines became a colony of the United States after the Spanish-American War in 1898. Colonization began with the mass violence of the Philippine-American War in lockstep with the implementation of American ideals in the archipelago. The U.S. created American-style schools and sent missionaries to the Philippines not only to spread Christianity, but to spread the idea of America as the pinnacle of civilization.

 

This is a political cartoon showing the paternal relationship between the United States and the Philippines to justify US colonial expansion and exploitation of the Philippines.

 

In the states, political cartoons depicted the Philippines as a “backward” society unable to operate autonomously, thus requiring the help of the US to become forward-thinking and civilized. “Showing the Light to Filipinos” depicts the US as a white man guiding the Philippines, drawn as a stereotypical caricature, toward a lamplight in the shape of an eagle and holding an American flag, sitting on top of books titled, “FREEDOM, EDUCATION, JUSTICE, COMMERCE.” This was just one of dozens of political cartoons that racialized Filipinos and compared the Philippines to the United States, helping to justify US colonial expansion and exploitation of the Philippines.

 

This is a political cartoon showing the different portrayals of Cuba and the Philippines .

 

In Grant Hamilton’s “Uncle Sam Watches over Cuba and the Philippines,” the United States is symbolized by the popular Uncle Sam watching over both the Philippines and Cuba, the latter of which had also become a colony of the US after the Spanish-American War. Cuba and the Philippines are depicted in contrast with each other: Cuba is portrayed as a refined child, holding the Statue of Liberty, representing an achievement of American ideals and prosperity. The Philippines in contrast is portrayed as an disheveled child looking toward Cuba in awe, while Uncle Sam reaches his hand out invitingly. This difference between the depictions of Cuba and the Philippines implies how the US viewed Cuba’s and the Philippines’ readiness for self-government. While Cuba was allowed to remain an independent sovereign, the Philippines independence movement was denied and ignored by the US, who deemed it unable to self-govern. Both of these political cartoons portray the Philippines as a violent and barren land and the US as a savior, bringing democracy, freedom, and peace through their occupation and colonization of the islands. This depiction helped to justify American expansion into the Philippines and the subsequent exploitation of the land and people. 

 

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