The Philippines is located in Southeastern Asia, closest to Taiwan to the north and Malaysia and Indonesia to the south. The country is an island chain between the Philippine Sea and the South China Sea that is east of Vietnam; it is made up of 7,107 islands (Steinberg, 1994).
In the past, the Filipinos have acknowledged two religions – Islam and Christianity. Islam was first introduced to them soon after the growth of Arab commercial schemes in Southeast Asia in the fourteenth century (Forbes-Lindsay, 1906). Nowadays, it is solely restricted to the southernmost region of the country. Filipino Muslims make up only 5% of the nationwide population (Steinberg, 1994). On the other hand, Christianity was introduced to them in the midst of Ferdinand Magellan’s arrival in 1521 (Forbes-Lindsay, 1906). This remained to be the most practiced religion due to the fact that the Spanish ruled over the country for about three hundred years. It is estimated that 81% of the population today is Roman Catholic (Steinberg, 1994).
The Filipinos hold a couple of essential common beliefs. They believe that Jesus sacrificed himself for them therefore they are forever indebted to them. The notion of debt and reliance exemplify the relationship they have with Jesus. They perceive the Holy Father and Jesus as “a God who always credits his own debtors” (Steinberg, 1994). The natives believe that God promised to help them go to Heaven. Their gratitude to Jesus is similar to the manner one may have with a family member who “helps” their relative due to their connection. Therefore, the action is seen as assistance that does not essentially need to be paid back in full or equally.
Furthermore, the belief in spirits is widespread in the Filipino views of the spir...
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...Spanish buildings with wide balconies and tiled roofs (Steinberg, 1994). It is quite evident that the Spanish left a permanent mark after their invasion in the country. They acquired the designs from the Spanish in order to enhance their own country.
Furthermore, the Philippines attempt to keep peace with its neighboring countries like Malaysia, Indonesia, Taiwan, and Vietnam by agreeing on peace accords. For instance, they, along with China and Taiwan, claim self-government over Scarborough Reef and over particular areas of the Spratly Islands, which is also claimed by Taiwan, Malaysia, China, and Vietnam. In 2005, the public oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam signed a mutual accord to control maritime seismic activities in the Spratly Islands. The Philippines maintains a dormant claim to Malaysia’s Sabah State in northern Borneo (Simbulan, 2005).
Native American architecture varies greatly from region to region throughout North America, and was influenced by factors such as climate, kind of community, and the natural environment. Whereas some buildings were designed and constructed for specified functions, others, such as Anasazi great houses, were massive multi-purpose structures. Because great houses from Chaco Canyon are so well preserved, it is possible to have a decent understanding of the structure of Anasazi architecture for analysis. A close examination of the innovative Anasazi great house architecture of the Chaco Canyon region reveals its utilitarian value.
One of the first comparisons that can be made is how the living space of the Spanish was drastically different from that of the Americans. The Spanish lived in Plazas that were made from sandstone, while the Americans made there houses out of trees. The way the Plazas where built was also a unique part of the Spanish culture. Clark states: “At La Placita, five of the seven structures have doorways facing out to the central site area”1. This leads to the conclusion that the Spanish where very community oriented with their living spaces. Even the land that the Plazas sat on where communally held, no one person could c...
Religion played a major role in expansion for both the Portuguese and the Spanish due to their extensive anti-Muslim crusade. Due to the over zealous religious fervor of the Christian Iberians, Christianity and thus the Iberians expanded into parts of western Europe during the crusades as Christians tried to convert the Muslims who were occupying this area. The Iberians did not stop with the European mainland; they were also expanding overseas. They were interested in the fertile land of the Canary Islands, Madeira, Azores and Cape Verde. These islands would also prove to be strategic acquisitions for the Iberians, as they would eventually provide the Iberians with bases and ports to be used for commerce. Throughout the 15th century the Spanish and Portuguese had been exploring lands throughout the Atlantic which drove Queen Isabella of Spain to commission Christopher Columbus in 1492 to “Discover and acquire islands and mainland in the ocean sea” (p.340) which eventually led to the discovery of North America.
In Puerto Rico, the majority of the population, about two-thirds of the inhabitants, are Roman Catholic. This dates back to when the there were Spanish colonies present during the 15th century who were Catholic. Although Catholics hold the majority, Protestants account for one-fourth of the population. Protestants date back to 1898 when missionaries came from the United States to Puerto Rico. Even though Catholics and Protestants hold the majority of the population, the Constitution guarantees freedom for all faiths. Some people are non-religious (2.3%) or another religion (3%). Some islanders ascribe to espiritismo (spiritualism) and others practice Santeria, an Afro-Caribbean belief system brought to Puerto Rico from Cuba. There is also a small Jewish community.
...t that it appears that the Spaniards did not appreciate the importance of the citadel in the past, since they did not settle or constructed any type of buildings nearby. Gradually, the place would be forgotten by Spanish colonists but not by locals.
Christian missionaries aimed to attend to the material and spiritual welfare of the Torres Strait Islander peoples who experienced enormous change from their interaction with European culture and
At the beginning of Spanish colonization instilling the Catholic religion to the natives was a key factor in settling in America; however in the time after a shift in the role of religion occurred. For instance, in 1834, Coahuila and Texas guaranteed freedom of religion
Of all the claims from different states, China’s is by a great deal the largest portion of territory. This area covers from the Southern province of Hainan stretching hundreds of miles south and east. China cites its claim of right comes from to millennia of history where the Paracel and Sprately island regions were held as important facets to the Chinese nation. A map was produced by China explaining the claims in 1947, illustrating the Paracel and Sprately islands included in full in its territory. The same claims were cited by Taiwan (the Republic of China). Vietnam however, contests China’s historical explanation that China did not claim sovereignty before the 1940’s. Instead Vietnam argues that it has documents to prove that since the 17th century Vietnam has actively ruled over both islands. The Philippines is another major claimant which “invokes its geographical proximity” to the Sp...
Throughout history it is evident that many religions have been tried, tested, and, for some, radically changed. Many religions have gone through periods of time in which the way they were run or enforced underwent changes in practice and leadership. In many cases disagreements and differing outlooks among members of certain religions were to blame for these changes. Christianity and Islam are two examples of religions that have experienced changes over the course of their existence. While these religions seem to have little in common at first glance, both have strikingly similar pasts that consist of radical splits due to disagreements among members of the Christian and Islamic churches, resulting in new branches within each religion.
The Middle East was a famous historic region where it provisioned as the origin for some religions and societies, for example, Christianity and Islam. These two religions differ in their history, conviction, and customs. They also have an additional number of similarities.
Christianity and Islam continue to be the two fastest growing religions in the world. Men and women, both Christian and Muslim, are now asking the question, must these two religions collide? Is there no common ground between them? Many Muslims are taught that Christianity seeks to eliminate Islam; that Christians have no knowledge or understanding of their faith; that Christians condemn Islam, and hold the teachings of Islamic Fundamentalism responsible for many if not all the terrorist activities throughout the world.
As soon as Columbus returned, the pope issued a decree saying the world itself was an inheritance of Christianity. Spain and Portugal, the two main Christian powers at the time, set out to spread Christianity all across the world following the Treaty of Tordesillas in 1494. What better place to start then with the new found land of the Americas. As soon as the Europeans figured out a reason, they began their religious crusade. Spain argued that the Native Americans possessed souls that only Christian baptism could save.
The design style of Mexico reveals a strong influence of culture and environment. In order to understand their unique style, it is important to acknowledge Mexico’s historic roots in Spanish culture, as well as in the culture of the native Indians indigenous to Central America. These roots in other customs helped shape what we recognize, today, as Mexican culture and design. In e...
When a typical Filipino thinks about the influences of the Spaniards, Religion and Christianity would immediately come to mine. Since without a doubt, the spreading of Christianity was their main priority of coming in the Philippines. However, often shadowed are the contributions of the Spaniards in other aspects in Philippine culture. Specifically, the idea that the Spaniards; particularly, the friars brought the natives the whole new world of “culture”. Hence their name culture heroes of the Filipinos.
The Philippine islands are located in Southeastern Asia, between the Philippine Sea and the South China Sea, east of Vietnam. The country is made up of about 7000 islands, only 2000 of those islands are inhabited. The population of the country includes about 84,619,974 people. The people of this country are all very close to their families. They work together to make the income that their family needs to survive. Sometimes th...