Imperial Shadows: US Colonialism and the Disruption of Pilipino Identity, 1898-1946

For 48 years, the United States (US) implemented a colonial project that extended beyond mere territorial control to fundamentally reshape Pilipino identity and cultural self-perception.Resulting in the defeat of Spain at the end of the Spanish-American War.The Treaty of Paris was signed on December 10, 1898, and the United States formally acquired and annexed the Philippines due to Spain's loss.The United States then entered the imperialist game, competing with other countries, such as Spain, China, the United Kingdom, France, Japan, and the Russian Empire, to expand and benefit from its occupied territories.In places like the Philippines, the United States imposed its culture and influenced certain aspects of these places to align with its values.This paper examines the critical question: "To what extent has the United States' colonization of the Philippines impacted Pilipinos' perception of their culture following the Spanish-American War to Philippine independence from 1898 to 1946?" Using a framework informed by postcolonial theory, this investigation analyzes sources from both the United States and the Philippines from people like American official