The last major conquest of the 16th century Spanish period of expansion was the Philippines--a subject that has received little attention and scholarship. This book takes an ethnohistoric approach to explore the issues of how the Spaniards brought about the conquest and pacification of the Philippines; the role of technology; the methods and organization of the Spaniards used in the conquest and pacification; whether customs and conditions within Spanish and pre-Hispanic Filipino society contributed to the ease of the pacification; and whether the complete pacification of the indigenous population was truly brought about, even in part, and, if so, the depth of the pacification. The book outlines current scholarship concerning pre-Hispanic Filipino culture, the development of Hispanic culture to the 16th century, the response of Hispanic cultural and political institutions to experiences in the New World, the motivations and events that led the Spanish to the Philippines, and provides an analysis of the impact of the methods used in the conquest and pacification.