Written with high school and undergraduate students as the target audience, this volume is ideal for anyone interested in Philippine history. It pieces together evidence from the precolonial era, illustrating the country's relationship with its neighboring Asian countries, its functioning social system, its widespread literacy, and developed system of writing. Its discussion of the precolonial era acknowledges the significant role women played in Philippine society, one that changed significantly with the coming of the friars. Its summary of over 350 years of colonial rule by Spain and almost 50 years by the United States helps the reader to understand why the Philippines is uniquely different from its Asian neighbors. It illustrates how Filipinos responded to colonialization, their active participation in the making of the nation and the shaping of Philippine society, and most importantly, the courage and resiliency of the Filipino people.