The Philippines became a colony of Spain in the 18th century. After witnessing the colonizers' ongoing abuse of Filipinos, the Filipino Diego Silang started the Ilokano revolt against the Spanish authorities. Following Diego's assassination, his wife Gabriela Silang carried on the crusade for freedom to lead ... possilby the longest local rebellion against the colonizers. After she and the remainder of her army were finally captured, the Spaniards hanged her soldiers--known to be among the most defiant of the Filipino rebels--and lined their bodies along the coastal towns for everyone to see. Their bodies were left to sway with the sea breeze in order to serve as a reminder to anyone who dared fight the Spaniards. Gabriela Silang was given the doubly painful experience of witnessing the death of her followers before becoming the last to die. She was 32 years old.