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The Republic Of The Philippines Essay

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The Republic of the Philippines is a country which has only fairly recently become independent, following a history marked by colonialism, occupation, and foreign influence. An archipelago made up of 7,107 island (Fast Facts), it was originally inhabited by people who came from China and Malaysia some 250,000 years ago, thought to have made the journey via a land bridge, no longer existent, that connected the land masses (Encyclopedia 1st source). Other migrants to the islands were the “Negritos”, who moved about 25,000 years ago, and the Mongoloid people of Southeast Asia, who moved just 10,000 years ago. Following their move were more people from China and Vietnam, who arrived between 7000 BC and 2000 BC. Later migrants from the Malaysian and Indonesian islands brought an assortment of tools and technological knowledge with them. The country’s diverse origins made way for a mixture of a culture, as more peoples worldwide traveled to the Philippines, bringing their customs, religions, and interests with them. By 500 AD, the Philippines was full of influences from all around the region, particularly from India, the Middle East, and China, all of which affected both the economy and the social life of the country. Particularly in the 13th century, Islam began to make ground on the islands, spreading to a sizable part of the population. During this entire period, however, the Philippines remained nonexistent in the eyes of Westerners, who had yet to discover the islands. This

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