Originally a Spanish colony, the Philippines were transferred to the United States as a protectorate in the wake of the Spanish-American War. American administration greatly shaped the government structure of the Philippines, though it was not long before calls for independence began. As the United States went through the political and economic challenges of the 1920s and 1930s, calls for greater autonomy for the Philippines were answered by the Tydings-McDuffie Act of 1934. This set up a semi-independent Commonwealth of the Philippines and while the United States still controlled Philippine foreign relations, the act set forward a ten year transition period that would end with full independence. Despite close ties to the US and significant dependence on America for economic and defense aid, the Philippines looks to serve as an example of a successful, self-governing country in Southeast Asia.