For decades, Imelda and Ferdinand Marcos were inseparable from Filipino politics. As a former colonizer of the Philippines and a strong supporter of the Marcos administration, the United States was also intertwined. What events made the Marcos regime possible? What events led to its downfall?

Imelda Marcos’s place in the history of the Philippines is undeniable. From her post-World War II campaigning and worldwide popularity to her exile, return and new millennium “comeback” as a political cult figure, Imelda’s fame, notoriety and legacy continue to keep the Marcos name at the forefront of modern Filipino history.

View a timeline of the political history of the Philippines, tracing the former Spanish and American colony from its 1896 independence movement through World War II, martial law and contemporary “People Power.”

View the interactive timeline >>

The Flash 6 plug-in is required to view this feature.
Download Flash player plug-in.

Timeline Sources