The Philippines, a nation of over 7,000 islands, has a history marked by foreign conquests, cultural amalgamation, and resistance, all of which lay the groundwork for Hagedorn’s novel.

The Philippine archipelago was first unified under the name Las Islas Filipinas during the Spanish colonization in the mid-1500s. The Spanish colonial rule, lasting for almost 400 years, introduced Christianity and reshaped the sociocultural landscape. The Manila-Acapulco Galleon trade linked the Philippines to the global economy, yet also entrenched economic dependency. The Spanish class system created a societal stratification, privileging those of European descent while marginalizing indigenous and mixed-race populations.

However, Spanish rule was not monolithic across the archipelago. The geographical challenges and the diverse ethnic, cultural, and linguistic groups meant that Spanish influence varied greatly. While Christianity permeated many regions, some areas, especially in the southern islands, maintained their Islamic faith.

The late 18th century saw the rise of revolutionaries like Gabriela and Diego Silang, and later, figures such as José Rizal, Andrés Bonifacio, and Emilio Jacinto, catalyzing the movement for independence. Rizal’s execution in 1896 fueled revolutionary fervor, culminating in the Philippine Revolution against Spanish rule.

The Spanish-American War of 1898 shifted the Philippines’ colonial master from Spain to the United States. The Treaty of Paris in 1898 formalized this transfer, leading to the Philippine-American War.