Approximately 22,000 years ago, short, dark skinned, curly haired Negrito began to migrate to the Philippines from Southeast Asia. Pre- Spanish peoples developed communities called "barangay" after the name of the boat they arrived on. Records show that an advanced civilization evolved, including rice, fishing, weaving mining and trading. They used shell currency and indict writing inscribed on bamboo. Laws were established and a council of elders. The people worshipped ancestors as well as natural forces that governed them.

Ferdinand Magellan sailed to the Philippines in 1521. He was accompanied by priests and began colonizations by converting the chiefs and their families to Christianity. Five years later Miguel Lopez de Legaspi arrived from Mexico. He named the islands the Philippines after King

Fidel Ramos was elected president in May 1992. He focused on political stability and began making peace with political rivals. Communism was legalized, after being banned for several years. Ramos stressed the horrible poverty level in the Philippines and began making exports and labor a part of the Philippine life.

The Philippine's consists of 7,107 islands and has a population of 65.8 million people. Ninety three percent of the people in the Philippine's are of the Christian religion, ten percent are Muslim or Native animists. This is the only Christian nation in Asia. Most of the Christian Filipinos are farmers and fishermen in the lowlands. The urban Christians are professional workers and office workers. The other religions live in the inaccessible areas in the hills. They work within their tribes. Filipinos are free to practice the religion of their choice. Most cultures take place within their religion and they stay together as a group and work within their religion.

World War II had a large impact on the Philippine's history. The Philippines was granted independence with Manuel Roxas as their leader. However, poverty and conflict was widespread. In 1950 the U.S. sent military aide to the Philippines in return for a U.S. air and naval base established in Luzon. Self-confidence in the Philippines was restored when Ramon Magsaysay was elected president. "He had identification with the common people and his concern for their problems restored public confidence in the government"(1,25).

Three hundred years of Spanish influence and 50 years of American influence have shaped Filipinos; they are considered the least Oriental of all the Orientals. The Filipino is very concerned about society and the view of them called "hiya". A Filipino who is criticized in public loses social approval and self-esteem. They are very careful not to criticize or insult other for fear they might make others lose self-esteem. Pakiksame is the assumption that the community is more important than the individual. Therefore to save face Filipinos will avoid confrontation and criticism in their effort to keep peace and be polite. They are very sensitive to social courtesy and look down on people who over stay their welcome or use their positions of power.

tty chieftains and rewarded those who helped in the conquests with vast tracts of land. These estates were worked by natives and provided the S

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Approximate Word count = 1630
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)