This is a timeline of Philippine history, comprising important legal and territorial changes and political events in the Philippines and its predecessor states. To read about the background to these events, see history of the Philippines.
Prehistoric
Year(BCE) Date Event Source 709,000 The arrival of the first Homo species to the early Chibanian. 400,000 People belonging to the species Homo erectus set foot on the Philippines. 250,000 Human habitation is said to be began. "Philippines" – "History" Encyclopedia of the Nations. Retrieved April 6, 2018. 55,000 The first Homo sapiens in the Philippines. 50,000 Early humans made stone tools in the Tabon Caves in Palawan. 40,000 Negritos start to settle. 35,000 At the old Kapampangan region was 10 times larger than the present borders, years ago, a series of eruptions from Mount Pinatubo dumped lava, ashes, tephra and lahar into the sea, forming the present landmass of the region. 20,000 Tabon Man made stone tools in the Tabon Cave. 8,000The ancestors in the other caves: Batangas, Bulacan and Rizal. The other caves of Palawan: Guri and Duyong cave where the Homo sapiens lived. 4,500–300 Multiple Austronesian migrations from Taiwan. Earliest evidence of rice growing, domesticating chickens and pigs. Presumed date of the Angono Petroglyphs. The Igorots built forts made of stone walls that averaged several meters in width and about 2 to 3 times the width in height around Ancient and Pre-Spanish Era of the Philippines Live Cebu Accessed September 4, 2008.
11th–1st century BCE
Year(BCE) Date Event Source c.1000 BCE The Late Neolithic period in the Philippines, evidence shows by a Yawning Jarlet on the Burial site in Leta-leta caves in Palawan by Robert Fox which had later become National treasure in the Philippines. First mining in the Philippines began. The early Filipinos worked various mines of gold, silver, copper and iron. Jewels, gold ingots, chains, calombigas and earrings were handed down from antiquity and inherited from their ancestors. Gold dagger handles, gold dishes, tooth plating, and huge gold ornaments were also used. 890–710 BCEThe Sa Huỳnh culture, evidence can be found in Manunggul Jar which is a secondary burial jar excavated from a Neolithic burial site in Manunggul cave of Tabon Caves at Lipuun Point. The depiction of sea-waves on the lid places this Manunggul jar in the Sa Huỳnh culture pottery tradition. These are people that migrated in an East to West migration from the Borneo-Palawan area to Southern Vietnam.600 BCEThe people of Palawan, Cordillera and Batanes become ancient goldsmith's. An ancient goldsmith shop had discovered that made the 20-centuries-old lingling-o, or omega-shaped gold ornaments in Batanes.c. 400 BCELarger villages came about- usually based near water, which made traveling and trading easier. The resulting ease of contact between communities meant that they began to share similar cultural traits, something which had not previously been possible when the communities consisted only of small kinship groups.300-200 BCEThe start of the Carabao (Water buffaloes) domestication and husbandry.
2nd–3rd century
Year Date Event Source c.200 AD The Maitum Jars are anthropomorphic jars that were depicting children (head is the lead of the jar with ears and the body was the jar itself with hands and feet as the handle) with perforations in red and black colors, had been used as a secondary burial jars in Ayub Cave, Pinol, Maitum Sarangani province, each of the jars had a "facial expression". Another example of funeral pottery in the Philippines. Since at least the 3rd century, the indigenous peoples were in contact with other Southeast Asian and East Asian nations. Fragmented ethnic groups established numerous city-states formed by the assimilation of several small political units known as barangay each headed by a Datu or headman (still in use among non-Hispanic Filipino ethnic groups) and answerable to a king, titled Lakan and Rajah. Marks the end of the Sa Huỳnh culture, as people are merged into different Chiefdoms, Kingdoms and Thalassocracies, but the remnants of Sa Huỳnh has still practiced by the natives of Masbate the artifacts can be found in Kalanay Cave proof that the ancient Masbatenios still practiced the Sa Huyun culture until 1500 AD.
8th century
Year Date Event Source 700 The Birth of Kawi script, this Abugida are become widely used in the Maritime Southeast Asia, the word Kawi or Kawikaan means "Poetry" in Sanskrit.
10th century
Year Date Event Source 900 April 21 End of prehistory. Laguna Copperplate Inscription, the earliest known Philippine document, is written in the region around Laguna de Bay in Kawi script. 971–982 The earliest date suggested for direct Chinese contact with the Philippines was 982. At the time, merchants from "Ma-i" (now thought to be either in Bulalacao, Mindoro or Bay, Laguna on the shores of Laguna de Bay). Philippines – "History" Encyclopedia Britannica 1000 Buddhism and Hinduism along with the Animism became the religion of the most of Philippine archipelago by the influence of its neighbors. Around the feet of Mt. Kamhatik near Mulanay town in Quezon Province once stood a 280-hectare ancient village where the archeologists found a 1000-year-old limestone coffins on a jungle-covered mountain top from 2011 to 2012 proof of the advance burial rituals of the early Filipinos. Philippine Archeologists Unearthed Limestone Coffin Yahoo news Retrieved November 9, 2016Tomb Raiders Spoil Philippine Archeological Find Bankokpost Retrieved November 9, 2016]
11th century
Year Date Event Source 1000 People from Central Vietnam called Orang Dampuan established trade zones in Sulu The construction of Idjangs in Batanes Islands (mountain fortress-cities) built by Ivatans. 1001 March 17 Song Shih document records tributary delegation from the Indic Rajahnate of Butuan.
12th century
Year Date Event Source c.1155 At the time, the trade in large native Ruson-tsukuri (literally Luzon made in Japanese: 呂宋製 or 呂宋つくり) clay jars used for storing green tea and rice wine with Japan flourished in the 12th century, and local Tagalog, Kapampangan and Pangasinense potters had marked each jar with Baybayin letters denoting the particular urn used and the kiln the jars were manufactured in. 1174–1175 Raiders coming from Visayas conducted a series of raids on Formosa (modern-day Taiwan), which was part of Song dynasty China. c. 1180 Before the establishment of the Sultanate of Sulu, The Indianized chiefdom of Lupah Sug (which is the present day Jolo, Sulu) was flourishing. Dwelling of the Buranun peoples under the rule of Rajah Sipad the Older.
13th century
Year Date Event Source1200 The process of Kabayan mummification had begun in Ibaloi Benguet which is also called Fire mummies. 1240 Tuan Masha'ika, an Arab, travels and introduces Islam to Sulu. The Buddhist Ma-i was flourishing in the island of Mindoro. Zhao Rukuo, a superintendent of maritime trade in Fukien province wrote the book entitled Zhu Fan Zhi ("Account of the Various Barbarians") in which he described trade with a country called Ma-i in the island of Mindoro in Luzon (pronounced "Ma-yi") which was a precolonial Philippine state.
14th century
Year Date Event Source c.1300 The adoption of Baybayin, a Brahmic script. 1369 Sulu attacked the Majapahit and its province Po-ni (Brunei), looting it of treasure and gold. A fleet from Majapahit succeeded in driving away the Sulus, but Po-ni was left weaker after the attack. 1380 Sheikh Karim-ul Makhdum arrives in Jolo and builds a Mosque. 1390 Baguinda Ali arrives in Buansa, Sulu and the people named him Rajah.
15th century
Year Date Event Sourcec. 1400Cebu was founded after the arrival of Sri Lumay from Sumatra. Namayan instated Lakantagkan as its sovereign. The vast domain comprised what are now Quiapo, San Miguel, Santa Mesa, Paco, Pandacan, Malate, Santa Ana in Manila, Mandaluyong, San Juan, Makati, Pasay, Pateros, and portions of Pasig. 1405 The Yongle Emperor instituted a Chinese envoy on Luzon during Zheng He's voyages and appointed Ko Ch'a-lao to that position in 1405. China also had vassals among the leaders in the archipelago. China attained ascendancy in trade with the area in Yongle's reign. 1411 Paduka Pahala reigned as the King of Lupah Sug in Sulu. He and his family and 300 other people of noble descent sailed to China, he was to pay tribute to the Yongle Chinese emperor, Zhu Di, who was of the Ming dynasty. While he was welcomed by the emperor upon his arrival in China, he nevertheless contracted a mysterious disease on his way home and died at Dezhou, a town in Shandong province in China. 1411 December 11 The Yongle Emperor holds a banquet in honor of Pangasinan and its Huang Liyu. 1457 Sultanate of Sulu founded by Sayyid Abubakar Abirin. 1458–1459 October 1547 – February 1549 The Lucoes, or warriors from Luzon send soldiers to the Burmese Siamese wars and faced the White elephants of the Royal Burmese Army, at the same time also aiding the Burmese King for the conquest of the Siamese capital, Ayuthaya.
16th century 1500s
Year Date Event Source 1500 Rajah Salalila of Maynila married the daughter of Sultan Bolkiah of Brunei, effectively uniting the royal families of Maynila and Brunei. The eruption of Mount Pinatubo in recorded history, The Buag Eruptive Period, Its eruptions were roughly the same size as those of 1991.
1520s
Year Date Event Source 1521 March 16 Discovery of the Philippines: Portuguese Ferdinand Magellan lands on Homonhon with three small ships, named the Concepcion, Trinidad and Victoria. Magellan calls the place the Archipelago de San Lazaro since March 16 is the feast day of Saint Lazarus. He also lands on Samar island. Finegan, P. (1911). "Philippine Islands" The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved April 6, 2018 from New Advent.How Did Ferdinand Magellan Discover the Philippines Interesting Facts About The Philippines Retrieved November 9, 2016Spanish Expeditions to the Philippines Philippine History Retrieved November 10, 2016"Philippines" World Press Encyclopedia (2003). Encyclopedia.com. March 28 Magellan reaches the Philippines March 29 Blood compact between Magellan and Rajah Kulambo of Limasawa March 31 The first mass on Philippine soil is celebrated. Where was the first Mass in the Philippines held? The Manila Times Retrieved November 10, 2016 April 7 Magellan lands on Cebu; meets Rajah Humabon of Cebu and enters into another blood compact. April 14 The first Mass in Cebu province is celebrated, with about 500 natives, including Rajah Humabon and his wife, baptized into the Catholic Church. April 27 Magellan is killed by Lapu-Lapu in the battle of Mactan; Spaniards defeated. 1525 Spain sends an expedition under Juan Garcia Jofre de Loaysa to the Philippines. The Loaysa Expedition failed 1526 Spain sends another expedition under Juan Cabot to the Philippines. The Cabot Expedition also failed 1527 Spain sends a fourth expedition under Álvaro de Saavedra Cerón to the Philippines. 1529 Saavedra's expedition returns to Spain without Saavedra who died on the way home.
1530s
Year Date Event Source 1536 The Loaysa expedition returns to Spain. One of its survivors is Andres de Urdaneta, its chronicler.
1540s
Year Date Event Source 1543 Spain sends a fifth expedition under Ruy López de Villalobos to the Philippines. The Expedition succeeds. February 2 Villalobos arrives in the Philippines and names the islands of Samar and Leyte as Las Islas Filipinas in honor of the crown prince of Spain, Philip of Asturias; he also becomes the first to explore Mindanao island, naming it "Cesarea Caroli."
1560s