Philippine History: Pre-Colonial to Spanish Era

• These notes cover key aspects of history, its relevance, historical sources, interpretations, and significant events in Philippine history.

History / Kasaysayan – Definition

• History is defined as the study of life in society in the past.
• The term "history" comes from the Greek word "historia," signifying "knowledge acquired through inquiry or investigation."
• "Kasaysayan," the Filipino term for history, derives from "saysay," emphasizing the significance or meaning of historical events to society.

Overview of Philippine History

Pre-Colonial Period

• The Philippines consisted of indigenous communities called barangays, each with a system of leadership under datus.
• Trade relations were established with China, India, and Arab traders, influencing cultural practices.

Spanish Colonization (1565-1898)

• Ferdinand Magellan arrived in 1521, marking the beginning of Spanish rule.
• Spanish colonization involved the encomienda system, Christianization, revolts, and eventually, a revolution.

American Period (1898-1946)

• This era included the Philippine-American War, U.S. governance, education reforms, and the establishment of the Commonwealth.

Japanese Occupation (1941-1945)

• Characterized by harsh military rule, guerrilla resistance, and eventual liberation by the U.S.

Post-Independence (1946-Present)

• This period includes the establishment of the Republic, Martial Law (1972-1981), the EDSA People Power Revolution (1986), and contemporary challenges.

Relevance of History

• Knowledge of history helps in understanding people and societies.
• History contributes to moral understanding and provides identity.
• Studying history is essential for good citizenship and is useful in various fields.

Historical Sources

• Historical sources provide information or proof and are one of the main pieces of evidence of a historical event.

Historical Method

• It is the process of critically examining and analyzing records of the past while fact-checking history.

Historiography

• It is the history of history and involves the imaginative reconstruction of the past based on data from the historical method.

History & Historians

• Historians seek historical evidence and facts and interpret them to give meaning to events.
• Historians organize facts into a timeline, establish causes, and write history.
• Historical data includes collected information about past events and circumstances, sourced from artifacts left from the past.

Primary vs Secondary Sources

Primary Sources

• These are sources created during the period of study, providing direct firsthand evidence about an event, object, person, or work of art.

Different Kinds of Primary Sources

• Literary or Cultural Sources include novels, plays, poems, television shows, movies, paintings, or photographs.
• Accounts that describe events include newspapers, chronicles, historical accounts, essays, speeches, memoirs, diaries, journals, letters, philosophical treaties, and manifestos.
• Information about people includes census records, obituaries, newspaper articles, biographies, and autobiographies.
• Finding place information includes maps and atlases, census information, statistics, photographs, city directories, and local historical societies.
• Information about organizations can be found in archives.

Secondary Sources

• Secondary sources are written about primary sources, describing, discussing, interpreting, and summarizing them.
• Examples include books, textbooks, journal articles, reviews, newspaper and magazine articles, reports, white papers, documentaries, encyclopedias, dictionaries, and government reports.

Content and Context Analysis

• Content and context analysis are methods used to analyze historical sources.

Content Analysis

• Content analysis examines what is explicitly stated in a historical source, including themes, arguments, and perspectives.

Context Analysis

• Context analysis considers the historical, cultural, and social background of the source to understand its meaning, considering who wrote it, when, why, and under what circumstances.

Historical Criticism

External Criticism

• External criticism verifies a source's authenticity.

Internal Criticism

• Internal criticism evaluates the accuracy and reliability of a source's content, analyzing content, biases, and contradictions.

Readings

The First Voyage Around the World (Antonio Pigafetta, 1521)

• It is an account of Ferdinand Magellan's expedition, describing the first interactions with Filipinos and documenting the first circumnavigation of the world.

Customs of the Tagalogs (Juan de Plasencia, 1589)

• A Spanish friar's documentation of pre-colonial Tagalog customs, including their government, social structure, beliefs, and traditions.

Gunita ng Himagsikan (Emilio Aguinaldo, 1928)

• Memoirs of Emilio Aguinaldo detail the Philippine Revolution, highlighting events leading to independence and the formation of the first republic.

Kartilya ng Katipunan (Emilio Jacinto, 1896)

• The moral and political guide of the Katipunan, outlining values and principles and emphasizing equality, patriotism, and personal dignity.

One Past. Many Histories

• Differing historical interpretations arise due to conflicting sources and perspectives.

Site of the First Mass

• The first Catholic Mass in the Philippines is a contentious historical event due to various interpretations and conflicting sources.
• According to Antonio Pigafetta, the first Catholic Mass was held on Easter Sunday, March 31, 1521 during Ferdinand Magellan's expedition.
• The Limasawa Law, enacted in 1960, officially declared Limasawa as the site of the first Mass.
• The National Historical Commission of the Philippines supports the Limasawa claim.
• Advocates for Butuan claim a Mass occurred there before Magellan arrived.
• The Butuan claim remains part of historical discussions, showing how history can be interpreted in different ways.

Cavity Mutiny

• The Cavite Mutiny of 1872 is a significant Philippine historical event with varied interpretations, reflecting the concept of "One Past, Many Histories.".

Cavite Mutiny Overview

• On January 20, 1872, about 200 Filipino soldiers and workers at Fort San Felipe staged an uprising against Spanish authorities due to the abolition of privileges and poor wages.
• The mutiny was suppressed, and leaders were executed or exiled.
• The Spanish government used the event to justify the execution of three martyr priests.

Spanish Perspective on Cavite Mutiny

• The Spanish viewed the mutiny as a well-organized revolution influenced by liberal Filipino reformists and clergy.

Filipino Perspective on the Mutiny

• Filipino historians view the mutiny as a labor protest over lost privileges.

Impact of Cavite Mutiny

• The execution of GOMBURZA (February 17, 1872) was blamed on Father Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos, and Jacinto Zamora for inciting the Mutiny.
• Their execution shocked Filipinos and inspired the nationalist movement.

Retraction Letter

• One of the most debated topics in Philippine history with different interpretations.
• The controversy centers around whether Dr. Jose Rizal retracted his writings against the Spanish government and the Catholic Church before his execution on December 30, 1896.
• The document was allegedly signed by Rizal before his execution and renounces anti-Catholic beliefs, returning to the Catholic faith.
• No family or close friends confirmed his retraction.

EDSA People Power

• The EDSA People Power Revolution took place from February 22 to 25, 1986, ousting Ferdinand Marcos and restoring democracy under Corazon "Cory" Aquino.

Timeline of the EDSA Revolution (February 22-25, 1986)

• February 22, 1986 (Day 1): Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile and AFP Vice Chief of Staff Fidel Ramos defected from Marcos.
• February 23, 1986 (Day 2): Marcos ordered military forces to crush the rebellion.
• February 24, 1986 (Day 3): Marcos declared a state of emergency, and rebel soldiers took over government and media stations.
• February 25, 1986 (Day 4 – Victory): Corazon Aquino was sworn in as President.

Political Changes

• Cory Aquino became the 11th President of the Philippines, restoring democracy.

Marcos' Exile & Corruption Cases

• Marcos and his family were exiled to Hawaii and, billions in ill-gotten wealth were recovered by the Philippine Commission on Good Government (PCGG).

Legacy & Commemoration

• The EDSA People Power Revolution is celebrated every February 25.

Cone of View History in History

• Emphasizes that the knowledge of history is always influenced by the limitations of knowledge.

The Nature of History

• Includes both events and interpretation of events.

The Circles of Historical Knowledge

• Consists of different layers of history (The Past, Events Observed, etc).

The Historian's "Cone of View"

• Historians are like searchlights, illuminating a small portion of the vast landscape of history.

The Historical Account

• Is constructed from available evidence.