This book represents a history study by Dean C. Worcester, Philippine Commission member who at that point held the position of Secretary of the Interior of the Philippine Islands. Worcester was an avid photographer during his time in the Philippines and his photographs had a profound influence in shaping public opinion in the United States about the "exotic" Filipinos. In this work Worcester again used the power of his photography to depict "primitive" Filipinos juxtaposed with photos of the modern infrastructure brought by the Americans, particularly during his own tenure as Secretary of the Interior.
