Accomplish as many of the applicable SOLs as time allows.

Social Sciences: 6.3, 6.10, 6.11; 9.9, 9.10; 10.11, 10.13, 10.14, 10.15; 11.8, 11.9, 11.15, 11.17.

Type of Program:    Classroom activities developed by a teacher committee (funded through a grant from the Jesse Ball dupont Fund) involve students in a study of Imperialism utilizing the collection of primary sources in the archives of the General Douglas MacArthur Memorial. The focus is on the period of the Spanish-American and Philippine-American wars.

Length of Program: 4+ Hours to accomplish all aspects of the lesson.

Cost: Field Trips to the MacArthur Memorial can be taken without charge.

1. If intending to take your class on a field trip to the MacArthur Memorial, please contact Dr. Preston Burton, MacArthur Memorial Education Coordinator, to arrange the date and time of the visit.
2. Confirmation of the visit will be sent to the lead teacher, with pre-visit information and a parking map.

   The Philippine-American War was popular in the United States when it began in 1899. The Americans expected the war to be quick and glorious. In order to avoid defeat, the Philippine Army switched to guerilla warfare. Soon American soldiers in the Philippines like Captain Harold Palmer Howard and Sergeant S. M. Thomas became frustrated because they could not quickly defeat the Philippine guerrillas. The irony for a black soldier like Thomas was that he was fighting a war to give the Filipinos the same civil liberties that he was being denied in the United States. Some American soldiers were so frustrated that they indiscriminately killed any Filipino that they suspected of being a guerilla. The military and civil reforms initiated by Governor General William H. Taft and Major General Arthur MacArthur soon separated Aquinaldo form his base of support, the Philippine people. This allowed President Theodore Roosevelt to declare the war over on July 4, 1902. During the war 4,234 American soldiers were killed and 2,818 were wounded. Approximately 20,000 Filipino soldiers were killed and an estimated 200,000 Filipino civilians died from disease, famine and other indirect effects of the war.

   During the Philippine-American War, 1899-1902, Macabebe Filipinos were recruited by the American Army to help defeat the Philippine Army commanded by Emilio Aquinaldo. Aquinaldo's army was made up largely of Tagalogs, the traditional enemy of the Macabebes. Paid in Mexican currency, and less than their American counterparts, these Filipino units were called the Macabebe Scouts. They were among the most effective forces in the American Army fighting in the archipelago. As reward to the Macabebes and other Filipinos who fought against Aquinaldo, the United states Congress on 2 February 1901, authorized the creation of Filipino units as part of the United States Army. These units were called the Philippine Scouts.

   The Macabebe Scouts, under the command of Brigadier General Frederick Funston, captured Emilio Aquinaldo in March 1901. This act ended organized resistance to the American conquest of the Philippines. However, the American government soon returned most Scouts commanded by American officers to quell other revolts and disorders throughout the archipelago. In 1908 Congress allowed Filipinos to attend the United States Military Academy at West Point to be trained and commissioned as officers. The Filipino officers permitted only to serve in the Scouts. Even though Filipinos were permitted to be commissioned officers, the Philippine Scout units would be commanded largely by American officers. To be an officer with the Scouts was considered a prestigious assignment by American officers assigned to duty in the Philippines.

Finally, since the Philippines was a territory of the United States, the Filipinos were considered American citizens.

   During the 1920's and 1930's the Philippine Scouts were considered by the Inspector General to be the most efficient units in the Army. In 1924 Brigadier General Douglas MacArthur was placed in command of the 23rd Brigade, Philippine Division. The Brigade included elements of the 31st Infantry Regiment (the only American infantry regiment in the colony), and the 57th Infantry (Philippine Scouts). In the winter of 1924, 222 Philippine Scouts mutinied for equal pay with their american counterparts.

   This action scared the American government for several reasons. First, the Scouts made up the majority of Army units in the colony. Secondly, Filipinos held the Scouts in high esteem and agreed the Scouts pay should be on a par with their American counterparts. In an effort to mollify the demands of the Filipinos, Douglas MacArthur, was made the commanding general of the Philippine Division. MacArthur was a popular choice with the Filipinos since he did not share any racial prejudices towards them. In addition, attempts were made to make the pay and allowances for the Scouts equitable with their american counterparts. However, full equality in this area would not be realized until World War II.

   Follow the "Suggested Activities" as outlined in the lesson plan. Enlarge and copy (zerox) all of the photographs, the map, and the newspaper, to be used by the students in the appropriate exercises. Copies of the original photographs may be obtained at cost from the MacArthur Memorial Archives (757/441-2965) if desired.

   Assessment activities should be developed around the objectives outlined in the SOLs covered in this field trip activity and appropriate to the various grade levels participating.

Early Motion Pictures
See The Spanish-American War in Motion Pictures
Destination The Philippines
Map, Slide Show, History & recommended reading
MacArthur Memorial
Dedicated to the career of General Douglas MacArthur
The Philippine-American War
Chronology, stereoscopic images, diaries and more
Sentenaryo/Centennial
Extensive list of related links

Dr. Preston Burton
Education Coordinator
General Douglas MacArthur Memorial
MacArthur Square
Norfolk, Virginia 23501

PHONE: (757) 441-2965
E-MAIL: macmem@norfolk.infi.net

Study of Photographs