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• In the 15th century, the Philippines was invaded by Spain and was under Spanish rule for 333 years, from 1565 to 1898
• Three significant impacts of Spanish colonization on the Philippines were the introduction of Catholicism, the influence of European and Mexican culture, and the loss of freedom or independence
• Under Spanish rule, a centralized colonial government was established in the Philippines, leading to the disappearance of many independent barangays and the unification of the country as "Filipinas"
• The Spanish king ruled the Philippines through the viceroy of Mexico until Mexico regained its freedom in 1821, after which the Spanish king ruled through a Governor General
• The political structure under Spanish colonial rule in the Philippines included a national government responsible for maintaining peace, collecting taxes, and building schools, as well as local governments administering provinces, cities, towns, and municipalities
• The Governor General, the highest-ranking official in the Philippines, had significant powers including appointing and dismissing public officials, commanding the colonial armed forces, and presiding over the Royal Audencia
• The Residencia was a special judicial court that investigated the performance of a Governor General who was about to be replaced, submitting a report of its findings to the King
• The Visita involved a government official called the Visitador General sent by the Council of the Indies in Spain to observe conditions in the colony and report findings directly to the king
• The Royal Audencia served as an advisory body to the Governor General, checking and reporting on abuses, auditing expenditures of the colonial government, and sending a yearly report to Spain
• Local government units in the Philippines included the provincial government with Alcalde and Corregimiento, the city government with Ayuntamiento and Cabildo, and the municipal government with Gobernadorcillos and Cabeza de Barangay