History of Manila Trivia Quiz

Answer: Tondo

Tondo was a settlement north of the Pasig River. Manila was the settlement on the southern side of the Pasig. Tondo was the dominant city on the island of Luzon and was the primary spot for trade amongst the people of Southeast Asia and Oceania. In 1571 after the Spanish conquered Manila, Manila became the dominant city in the region. Tondo was incorporated into Manila and is known as the Tondo District today.

Answer: Pirate

Limahong was a Chinese pirate who failed to capture Manila from the Spanish a few times in his career. The Spanish brought instability to the Philippines after they captured Manila. Not only did the Chinese fight back against new trade restrictions but the Spanish were also dealing with various revolts from different peoples.

This led Manila to be open to attacks. The Chinese pirates were aided by the Portuguese who had already captured Spanish territory. However, Limahong was unable to capture Manila. Limahong and his men were slowed by the powerful soldier Martin de Goiti who was killed in the attack.

However, de Goiti allowed the Spanish to fortify parts of the city. Although Limahong was not successful, the Chinese did manage to burn down some buildings and weaken the Spanish overall.

Answer: Treaty of Paris

The British invaded the Philippines during the Seven Years War or the French and Indian War. Although the war is better known as a fight between Britain and France over North American territories, several European nations soon became involved. The Spanish were still in control of Manila at this time but the British, led by William Draper, invaded and captured the city.

The end of the Seven Years War was brought about by the 1763 Treaty of Paris. Manila and the Philippines were not mentioned in the treaty (as the occupation was not yet known in Europe at the time) but were generally considered under the general list of territories that were to be returned to their original owners.

The British relented but eventually gave up the Philippines without a major struggle in 1764.

Answer: Noli Me Tangere

"Noli Me Tangere" is a Filipino novel by Jose Rizal that can be compared to the American novel "Uncle Tom's Cabin" for the role it played in those nations' histories. Jose Rizal was an eye doctor from Manila who was angered by the disparate treatment of the Filipino people by the Spanish colonists. His novel "Noli Me Tangere" focuses on a young mestizo man Crisostomo Ibarra and his conflicting thoughts on patriotism, fidelity and revenge. His battle with the local Spanish authorities caused the novel to be banned in the Philippines.

Rizal was fearful about even publishing the novel in the first place as he feared retaliation from the Spanish. The book was originally published by a friend of Rizal's in Berlin in 1887. It was not widely circulated in Manila until 1899 and had only been read in underground circles prior to then. Nonetheless, the book proved to be a catalyst for Filipino Independence.

Answer: Emilio Aguinaldo

The Americans took hold of the Philippines during the Spanish-American War when General George Dewey defeated the Spanish in 1898 and the Treaty of Paris was signed later that year. Emilio Aguinaldo immediately established the First Philippine Republic which was rejected by the Americans who established military control over the island.

In the 1899 Battle of Manila, Emilio Aguinaldo fought against the Americans led by General Elwell Otis. The battle was a decisive win for the Americans and Aguinaldo surrendered in 1901, ending the Philippine-American War.

Answer: The Japanese bombed the city

During World War II, Japan was invaded islands in the Pacific Ocean, particularly those held by Allied forces. They set their targets on the Philippines and its capital, Manila. When it was clear that Allies would not be able to hold Manila, they declared the city an open city. Generally speaking, an open city meant that the enemy could easily occupy without force and destruction.

However, the Japanese bombed the city anyway. Because of the unexpected bombings, the people evacuated suddenly and a safe zone had to be established outside the city proper.

This expanded area was called the City of Greater Manila.

Answer: Manila Massacre

The Manila Massacre, also called the Rape of Manila, occurred in February and March 1945. General MacArthur had arrived in the Philippines and the Japanese had realized that defeat was imminent. They committed mass atrocities against the local population as they were aligned with the Americans. Yamashita had ordered the Japanese to evacuate Manila but General Sanji Iwabuchi refused and ordered his men to slaughter as many local people as possible. Thousands of people were rounded up and executed. Others were taken as human shields to be used when they came in contact with the Americans. Women and girls as young as twelve were kidnapped and raped in the Bayview Hotel. The Japanese even turned on their German allied who were in Manila. They raided a German refuge camp, raped the women there and killed their children. The official death toll is listed at about 100,000 people but historians estimate the number could be as high as 500,000 or even more.

The execution of Yamashita for his role in the Manila Massacre is controversial. Yamashita had committed similar acts elsewhere, but history suggests he was not responsible for the Manila Massacre as he had evacuated the city and had ordered his subordinates to do the same. He appealed the U.S. Supreme Court but was denied in a 5-2 vote. He was hanged on February 24, 1946.

Answer: Rizal Park

Rizal Park played a major role in many historic events in Philippine history. In 1896 when the park was called Bagumbayan, it was the location where Jose Rizal was executed by firing squad for causing a rebellion against Spanish rule. On July 4, 1946, it was where the Philippine flag was first raised indicating the country's independence from the United States as agreed to by the Treaty of Manila. Nowadays, it is often location of political rallies and demonstrations.

Answer: Mohammad Ali

The Thrilla in Manila is one of the most famous events in boxing history. The match took place on October 1, 1975 at the Araneta Coliseum which actually in Quezon City in the Manila metro area. The match was called the Thrilla in Manila because of a rhyme Ali developed about Frazier in which he said he would "get that gorilla in Manila".

The match, which was won by Ali by referee decision, saw the dawning of the Golden Era of Boxing in the Philippines. It also helped ease the image of Manila internationally as Ferdinand Marcos had declared marshal law and had hoped to improve the city's image with this fight.

Answer: Imelda Marcos' shoe collection

The year 1986 saw the end of the reign of Ferdinand Marcos. Marcos was the longtime president of the Philippines whose reign was infamously marred by corruption. In particular, Marcos and his wife Imelda accumulated wealth so vast that only a fraction of it was recovered decades later.

After the Marcoses left Manila for Hawaii in exile, the People Power Revolution (led by Corazon Aquino) protests stormed the presidential palace in Manila called Malacanang Palace. They found at least 1,200 pairs of shoes, hundreds of dresses, handbags and accessories. Aquino displayed the shoes at a museum in order to show just how much the Marcoses enriched themselves.

However, the shoes quickly became a symbol of glamour and notoriety and not corruption. Nowadays, the shoes are on display at the Marikina Shoe Museum.

This collection is much smaller since many of the shoes disappear or were ruined over time.