Lecture Notes on Barry Kaufman and the Philippine-American War

Introduction

• Discussion of the establishment of American governance in the Philippines during the Philippine-American War.
• Key figure: Barry Kaufman.

President McKinley's Actions

• McKinley sent two commissions to the Philippines.
  • First Commission: Fishermen Commission.
  • Arrival: March 4, 1899.
  • Leader: Jacob G. Sherman, President of Cornell University, along with other members.

Mission of the Sherman Commission

• Objectives:
  • Investigate conditions in the Philippines.
  • Recommend a suitable form of government for the Filipino people.
• Noble Aims:
  • To develop, civilize, educate, and promote self-discovery.
  • The Commission aimed to prepare Filipinos for eventual independence.

Government Establishment

• McKinley emphasized that the government established was not for selfish gains but for the benefit of the Philippine Islands.
• Key Developments:
  • The Commission enacted significant reforms in September of the same year.
  • Initial funding: 48 million U.S. dollars for road construction and repairs.
  • Enacted 440 laws regarding local government organization and civil systems.

Judicial and Health Reforms

• Established a judicial system including the Supreme Court.
• Promoted public health and sanitation:
  • Various agencies were created, including the Bureau of Health and Quarantine Service.
  • Construction of hospitals and clinics across the Philippines.

Education System Development

• Initiation of public school systems:
  • English became the medium of instruction in grade schools, business, and government.
  • Trained American teachers were imported, known as the "Homonculi."
  • First group of 600 teachers arrived in Manila aboard the ship Commas.