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The Tydings-McDuffie Act, signed into law on March 23, 1934, provided for the creation of the Commonwealth of the Philippines, and promised independence for that nation after ten years. The term "commonwealth," also applied to Puerto Rico and other U.S. possessions, indicated that the Philippines would maintain a local system of government, but would become part of the United States. In spite of this fact, the Tydings-McDuffie Act provided that Filipinos would be treated as aliens thenceforth, and Filipino immigration numbers would be severely limited.

Named for King Philip II of Spain, the Philippines had been controlled by Madrid for more than three hundred years when the United States won possession of the islands following the Spanish-American war of 1898. In the latter years of Spanish rule, hopes for Philippine self-determination had been raised by nationalist leaders José Rizal (1861-96) and Emilio...