A Brief History
On July 4, 1946, the Philippines became an independent country after having been under colonial rule by Spain and then the US for 381 years. Today, we look at countries that spent even more years under colonial rule than the Philippines.
Digging Deeper
Guyana, 387 years under Dutch then British rule, and English is the official language.
Cuba, 389 years under Spanish rule.
Angola, 400 years, first visited by the Portuguese in 1484 and later colonized, gaining independence in 1975.
Ghana, 426 years dominated by European countries including Portugal, the Netherlands, Britain, Sweden, and Denmark!
Jamaica, 454 years ruled by Spain and then Britain, known for Rum, Reggae music, and fast runners!
Sao Tome and Principe, 454 years under Portugal until independence in 1975.
Belize, 458 years under Spain and then Britain, independent in 1981.
Cape Verde, 514 years after Portugal settled a then unpopulated island chain since about 1456.
Note: As is usual, dates and time frames may vary with the source consulted.
Question for students (and subscribers) to ponder: Is colonization ever a good thing?
If you liked this article and would like to receive notification of new articles, please feel welcome to subscribe to History and Headlines by liking us on Facebook and becoming one of our patrons!
Your readership is much appreciated!
Historical Evidence
For more information, please see…
Francia, Luis. History of the Philippines: From Indios Bravos to Filipinos. Harry N. Abrams, 2013.
Reinhard, Wolfgang. A short history of colonialism. Manchester University Press, 2011.
The featured image in this article, a map of the Philippines, is a faithful photographic reproduction of a two-dimensional, public domain work of art. The work of art itself is in the public domain for the following reason: This work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author’s life plus 100 years or fewer. This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published (or registered with the U.S. Copyright Office) before January 1, 1930.
You can also watch video versions of this article on YouTube.
