Each May for more than 40 years, America has paid tribute to the vast cultural contributions of its Asian and Pacific Islander citizens. Here are a few fascinating facts about how Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month came to be.
“Whoever is lord of Malacca has his hands on the throat of Venice,” observed the 15th century explorer Tome Pires. Within his lifetime, his native Portugal and rival Spain would effectively divide the world between themselves under the Treaty of Tordesillas in 1494. The treaty sanctioned Portuguese conquest of countless ports across the Indian Ocean while Spain devoured those in the Pacific.
Over the next half a millennium, a constellation of tiny European kingdoms reigned supreme across the vast Asian continent, placing their voracious hands on the throat of once mighty empires in the East. Qing-era China would suffer a century of humiliation of unequal treaties, intermittent invasions and forced opium trade; many of its peers were less lucky.
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Top 10 Fascinating Facts About The Philippines
The Republic of the Philippines is a fascinating archipelagic nation consisting of more than 7,640 individual islands. With more than 100 million people, it’s a significant Southeast Asian country with a rich history and diverse people.
This list aims to highlight some of the more interesting facts about the island nation, focusing with a focus on its history and the people who live there.
These ten facts don’t cover everything you should know about the Philippines, but it’s a great place to start learning about this amazing island nation.
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