page_title: History of Filipino Americans
section_title: Timeline
hierarchical_section_title: History of Filipino Americans / Timeline
caption_attribution_description: English: President Truman and members of his party pose on the north steps of the "Little White House," the President's residence in Potsdam, Germany during the Potsdam Conference, with their Filipino stewards. Directly above the uniformed stewards are, L to R: Gen. Harry Vaughan, Adm. William Leahy, Secretary of State James Byrnes, and President Truman. Press Secretary Charles Ross is directly behind President Truman.,
context_page_description: The history of Filipino Americans begins in the 16th century when Filipinos first arrived in what is now the United States. The first Filipinos came to what is now the United States due to the Philippines being part of New Spain. Until the 19th century, the Philippines continued to be geographically isolated from the rest of New Spain in the Americas, but maintained regular communication across the Pacific Ocean via the Manila galleon. Filipino seamen in the Americas settled in Louisiana, and Alta California, beginning in the 18th century. By the 19th century, Filipinos were living in the United States, fighting in the Battle of New Orleans and the American Civil War, with the first Filipino becoming a naturalized citizen of the United States before its end. In the final years of the 19th century, the United States went to war with Spain, ultimately annexing the Philippine Islands from Spain. Due to this the History of the Philippines merged with that of the United States, beginning with the three-year long Philippine-American War, which resulted in the defeat of the First Philippine Republic, and the attempted Americanization of the Philippines.
context_section_description: 1573–1811, Between roughly 1556 and 1813, Spain engaged in the Galleon Trade between Manila and Acapulco. The galleons were built in the shipyards of Cavite, outside Manila, by Filipino craftsmen. The trade was funded by Chinese traders, manned by Filipino sailors and "supervised" by Mexico City officials. During this time, Spain recruited Mexicans to serve as soldiers in Manila. Likewise, they drafted Filipinos to serve as soldiers in Mexico. Once drafted and posted to the Americas, Filipino soldiers were frequently not returned home.
  1587, First Filipinos ("Luzonians") to set foot in North America arrive in Morro Bay (San Luis Obispo), California on board the galleon ship Nuestra Senora de Esperanza under the command of Spanish Captain Pedro de Unamuno; Filipinos become the first Asians in California.
  1595, Filipino were among the crew aboard the San Augustine when it wrecked near Point Reyes, California.
  1763, First permanent Filipino settlements established in North America near Barataria Bay in southern Louisiana.
  1769, Filipino sailors aboard the San Carlos die aboard ship in San Diego Bay during the Portolá expedition, and are buried ashore.
  1779, A Filipino mariner, of the San Jose received their confirmation at Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo; the confirmation was conducted by Fr. Junípero Serra.
  1781, Antonio Miranda Rodriguez was chosen as a member of the first group of settlers to establish the City of Los Angeles, California. He and his daughter fell sick with smallpox while en route, and remained in Baja California for an extended period to recuperate. When they finally arrived in Alta California, it was realised that Miranda Rodriguez was a skilled gunsmith and he was reassigned in 1782 to the Presidio of Santa Barbara as an armorer. When he died, he was buried at the presidio's chapel.
  1796, The first American trading ship  reaches Manila, the Astrea, under the command of Captain Henry Prince.
  1814, During the War of 1812, Filipinos residing in Louisiana, referred to as "Manilamen" residing near the city of New Orleans, including the Manila Village, were among the "Baratarians", a group of men who fought with Jean Lafitte and Andrew Jackson in the Battle of New Orleans during the War of 1812. The battle was fought after the Treaty of Ghent was signed.
  1861–1865, Approximately 100 Filipinos and Chinese enlist during the American Civil War into the Union Army and Navy, as well as serving, in smaller numbers, in the armed forces of the Confederate States of America.
  1870, Filipinos mestizos studying in New Orleans form the first Filipino Association in the United States, the "Sociedad de Beneficencia de los Hispanos Filipinos".
  1888, José Rizal arrives at the port of San Francisco for his trip through the United States.
  1898, on May 1, the United States Navy decisively defeated Spain in the Battle of Manila Bay, the first battle of the Spanish–American War, beginning the American Colonial Era in the Philippines. On June 12, Filipino revolutionaries declare independence from Spain in Kawit, Cavite. Prior to this year, Ramon Reyes Lala becomes the first naturalized Filipino American.
  1899, Philippine–American War begins.
  1901, United States Navy begins recruiting Filipinos.
  1902, Philippine–American War ends. Philippine Bill of 1902 passed by the U.S. Congress.
  1903, First Pensionados, Filipinos invited to attend college in the United States on American government scholarships, arrive.
  1906, First Filipino laborers migrate to the United States to work on the Hawaiian sugarcane and pineapple plantations, California and Washington asparagus farms, Washington lumbercamps and Alaska salmon canneries. About 200 Filipino "pensionados" are brought to the U.S. to get an American education.
  1907 Benito Legarda, and Pablo Ocampo, becomes the first Resident Commissioners, from the Philippines, in the United States House of Representatives.
  1910, First Filipino, Vicente Lim, attends West Point.
  1911, José B. Nísperos becomes the first Asian American to be awarded the Medal of Honor. Nevada became the first state to
caption: President Truman and members of his party pose on the north steps of the "Little White House", the President's residence in Potsdam, Germany during the Potsdam Conference, with their Filipino stewards.