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Long before the arrival of the Spaniards to Cavite City - then known as "Tangway" a peninsula, Chinese traders or "Sanglay" had already been doing business with its people. During the early Spanish time, it was known as "Ciudad de Oro" until the year 1614, when the Spaniards fortified the place with "Muralla" (high thick walls) and surrounded it with moats, the place was called "Puerto de Cavite".
Cognizant of the strategic position of the place, it was officially made the Capital of the Province, Other historians differ in their versions of the origin of Cavite. One group avers that the name came from the Tagalog word "Kabit-e" which in English means "attached", "joined" or "connected". Another group claims it came from the word "Kalawit" or "Hook" because the land is shaped like a hook. Still another version run thus:
"When the Spaniards occupied Manila in 1571, occupation forces were sent southward to a place called "Kawit-eh". Because of the lack of "K" and "W" in the Spanish Alphabet, the colonizers substituted the letters "C" and "V" for "K and W". Henceforth, the place was called "CAVITE".
During the Spanish Administration the place was under an "Administradores Civiles" or "Governadorcillo". Later on it was called "Capitan Municipal" assisted by a "Tiniente Mayor", a "Tiniente Segundo", a "Tiniente Tercero", a "Tiniente del Barrio" and the "Cabeza de Barangay".
In 1898, when the Americans came, the place was used as the seat of the U.S. Naval Forces in the Philippines. Government Administration was under the Presidentes Municipales" with the direct supervision of the American Army Officers (the first being Colonel Meade). The first Filipino "Presidentes Municipales" were appointed: Don Zacaria Fortich for Puerto de Cavite, Don Francisco Basa for San Roque, and Don Jose Raqueño Bautista for Caridad.
The Philippine Commission, in May 1903, united the three pueblos (Cavite Puerto, San Roque and Caridad) to create the Municipality of Cavite. By virtue of a legislative act of the First Philippine Assembly, Cavite was made capital of the province. Subsequently, the territory was enlarged to include the district of San Antonio.
In 1909, Executive Order No.124, of Governor-General W. Cameron Forbes, declared Act No.1748 annexing Corregidor and the Islands of Caballo (Fort Hughes), La Monja, El Fraile (Fort Drum), Sta. Amalia, Carabao (Fort Frank) and Limbones, as well as all waters and detached rocks surrounding them, to the Municipality of Cavite. More info >>
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