Philippine History: Primary Source Analysis

Content and Contextual Analysis of Primary Sources in Philippine History

• Primary documents from different historical periods are examined.
• History can be learned through primary sources.
• Primary sources can be interpreted by examining their content and context.
• The context behind selected documents should be understood.

Importance of Historical Sources

• Familiarizing oneself with different kinds of historical sources is important.
• Historical sources are the historian's primary tool for understanding and interpreting the past.
• Historical sources ascertain historical facts
• Historians use primary sources to weave historical narratives of specific subjects and events.
• Primary sources consist of documents, memoirs, accounts, and other materials produced during the period of the event or subject.
• Different types of sources require different kinds of analysis and contain different levels of importance.

Antonio Pigafetta's First Voyage Around the World

• Pigafetta's account focuses on firsthand observations and general impressions of the Far East, especially experiences in the Visayas.
• Ladrones Islands (Marianas Islands): The fleet reached what Pigafetta called the Ladrones Islands or the “Islands of the Thieves".
• The people have no arms, but use sticks, which have a fish bone at the end. They are poor, but ingenious, and great thieves.
• The islands are located south-southeast of Japan, west-southwest of Hawaii, north of New Guinea, and east of Philippines.
• After ten days they reached the isle of Zamal, now Samar.
• Magellan landed in another uninhabited island for greater security where they could rest for a few days.
• Men from the island welcomed them with food, drinks, and gifts.
• The natives gave them fish, palm wine (uraca), figs, rice (umai), cocos, and other food supplies.
• Pigafetta described the palm tree, its fruit called cocho, and wine.
• Pigafetta characterized the people as very familiar and friendly and willingly showed them different islands and the names of these islands.

Humunu Island

• The fleet went to Humunu Island (Homonhon) and the “Watering Place of Good Signs."
• Pigafetta wrote that they found the first signs of gold there.
• Islands were named the archipelago of St. Lazarus.
• On March 25th, they saw two ballanghai (balangay), a long boat full of people in Mazzava/Mazaua.
• The leader, the king of the balangay, sent his men to Magellan's ship and Europeans entertained them and gave them gifts.
• The king offered to give Magellan a bar of gold and chest of ginger, Magellan declined and sent the interpreter asked for money.
• The king responded by giving Magellan the needed provisions of food in chinaware.
• Magellan exchanged gifts of robes in Turkish fashion, red cap, knives, and mirrors.
• Magellan shared his charts and maps and shared how they found the islands.
• Magellan was introduced to the king's brother who was also a king of another island
• They reported mines of gold.
• The gold was abundant that parts of the ship and of the house of the second king were made of gold.

Raia Calambu and Raia Siagu

• The names of the kings was Raia Calambu, king of Zuluan and Calagan (Butuan and Caragua), and the first king was Raia Siagu.
• On March 31st, Easter Sunday, Magellan ordered the chaplain to preside a Mass by the shore.
• Both kings attended the Mass with the other king, and participated in the mass.
• Magellan ordered the cross be brought with nails and crown in place.
• Magellan explained the cross was a sign of his emperor
• The king concurred and allowed for the cross to be planted.
• This was the first Mass in the Philippines and the famed Magellan's Cross.
• Magellan and his men moved to Ceylon (Leyte), Bohol, and Zzubo (Cebu) to acquire supplies.
• Raia Calambu offered to pilot them to Cebu.
• On April 7th, Magellan and his men reached the port of Cebu.
• Magellan refused to pay tribute because he did not pay tribute to other kings.
• Magellan's interpreter explained that Magellan's king was the emperor of a great empire and had the king of Cebu consulted his council.
• The king sent a bit of his blood as a sign of affection and Magellan would do the same.
• The next day, Magellan spoke about peace and God.
• Magellan asked spoke who would succeed the king after his reign and the people responded that the eldest child of the king would be next in line.
• Magellan said his faith entailed children to render honor and obedience to their parents.
• People were convinced and wanted to become Christians.

Conversion and Conflict

• On April 14th, people gathered and Magellan encouraged the king to be a good Christian.
• The king of Cebu was baptized as Charles (Carlos) while the prince was Fernand (Fernando).
• After eight days, everyone was baptized and villages were burned down if they disobeyed the king and Magellan.
• Magellan gave the queen an image of the Infant Jesus which was a miracle.
• On April 26th, Zula asked for help to fight Silapulapu (Lapulapu), who refused to obey the king.
• Magellan offered three boats and went to Mactan himself and the forces numbered 49 while the islanders 1,500
• The battle began and Magellan died, pierced by a poisoned arrow in his right leg and hit with a lance in the breast
• The natives ceaselessly attacked Magellan.
• The king of Cebu was not allowed to join the battle.
• The king offered gifts for Magellan's body but the chief refused
• After Magellan's death, Duarte Barbosa was elected captain.

Events After Magellan Died

• Magellan's slave and interpreter, Henry, betrayed them and plotted with the king of Cebu
• The king invited the men to a gathering
• The natives had slain all of the men except the interpreter and Serrano.
• The fleet departed and abandoned Serrano.
• The chronicle of Pigafetta is a credible source for the precolonial period of the Philippines and seen as the "purest".
• In Pigafetta's description of the people, one has to keep in mind that he was coming from a sixteenth century European perspective.
• Other belief systems different from that of Christianity were seen as blasphemous and barbaric.
• The wealth of kingdoms was based on their accumulation of bullions or precious metals like gold and silver.

The KKK and the Kartilya ng Katipunan

• The Kataastaasan, Kagalanggalangang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan (KKK) or Katipunan is the most important organization in Philippine history.
• Katipunan envisioned a united Filipino nation that would revolt for the total independence of the country from Spain.
• The propaganda movements by ilustrados did not envision a total separation, but only demanded equal rights.
• The Katipunan created a complex structure and value system to guide the organization.

The Kartilya

• Te original title of the documents was “Manga Aral Nang Katipunan ng mga A.N. B. (Anak ng Bayan)" or "Lessons of the Organization of the Sons of the Country.”
• The document was written by Emilio Jacinto in 1896.
• Jacinto became the secretary of the organization.
• Bonifacio appointed Jacinto as a commander of the Katipunan in Northern Luzon.
• The Kartilya contains fourteen rules that instruct the way a Katipunero should behave and specific values that should be upheld.
• The first group contains the rules that will make the member an upright individual.
• The second group contains the rules that will guide the way he treats his fellow men.

Rules of Kartilya

• The life that is not consecrated to a lofty and reasonable purpose is a tree without shade.
• It is not virtuous to do good for personal gain.
• It is rational to be charitable and love one's fellow creature.
• All are born equal, regardless of skin color.
• The honorable man prefers honor to personal gain.
• The honorable man's word is sacred.
• Do not waste time; wealth can be recovered but not time lost.
• Defend the oppressed and fight the oppressor.
• The prudent man is sparing in words, faithful in keeping secrets.
• Man is the guide of woman and children on the thorny path of life.
• One must not look upon women as a mere plaything, but as a faithful companion.
• What thou dost not desire done unto thy wife, children, brothers and sisters, that do not unto the wife, children, brothers and sister of thy neighbour.
• A man is not worth more because he is a king or priest but because he is a man of proven and real value.
• The rules of conduct shall be known to all so that the sun of Liberty shall rise.
• Properly understanding the Kartilya will help in understanding the values, ideals, aspirations, and ideology of the Katipunan.
• Kartilya promotes equality, tolerance, freedom, and liberty and emphasizes the importance of honor.
• Not even Europe recognized the problem of gender inequality while the Katipunan was founded.

Proclamation of the Philippine Independence

• The country commemorates the anniversary of the Philippine Independence proclaimed on June 12, 1898, in Cavite.
• The event signalled the end of the 333 years of Spanish colonization.
• The declaration was a short 2,000-word document, outlining the revolution against Spanish, the war for independence, and the future of the new republic.
• The proclamation commenced with a characterization of the conditions in the Philippines during the Spanish colonial period.
• The document specifically mentioned abuses and inequalities in the colony.

Abuses by Civil Guards and Clergy

• Abuses by the Civil Guards and the unlawful shooting of prisoners were condemned.
• The unequal protection of the law between the Filipino people and the “eminent personages” was condemned.
• The avarice and greed of the clergy was mentions
• The unjust deportation was condemned without proper hearing.
• The proclamation mentions Rizal's execution, calling it unjust.
• The proclamation of independence invokes that the established republic would be led under the dictatorship of Emilio Aguinaldo.
• Aguinaldo was the Supreme Chief of the Nation, the instrument of God.

Symbolic Meaning of The Philippine Flag

• The document explains the Philippine flag, the
• The white triangle represents the distinctive emblem of the Katipunan.
• The three stars represents thee three principal islands of this Archipelago, Luzon, Mindanao and Panay.
• The sun represents the gigantic strides that have been made by the sons of this land on the road of progress and civilization.
• Its eight rays symbolizing the eight provinces of Manila, Cavite, Bulacan, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Bataan, Laguna and Batangas and the colors blue, red and white, are from those in the United States of North America.
• The document reflects the revolutionary sentiment of that period like friar abuse, racial discrimination, and inequality before the law.
• The document mentions the execution of the GOMBURZA and the Cavite Mutiny of 1872.

The Treaty of Paris

• There was no mention of the Katipunan's foundation or Bonifacio.
• The enmity between Aguinaldo's Magdalo and Bonifacio's Magdiwang is known.
• Official records and documents still exude the politics and biases of whoever is in power.
• The student must analyze the content of these documents in relation to the dominant politics and the contexts of people.
• The Treaty of Paris was an agreement signed between Spain and the Unites States of America.
• The Philippines was sold to the United States at $20 million which resulted in the Philippine-American War which lasted until the earliest years of the twentieth century.

Philippine Political Caricature in Alfred McCoy's Philippine Cartoons

• Political cartoons and caricature are a recent art form exaggerating human features to poke fun.
• It is a form of social and political commentary.
• Cartoons became an effective tool of publicizing opinions through heavy use of symbolism.
• Commentaries in mass media shape public opinion so it is worthy of historical examination.
• McCoy and Roces compiled political cartoons published in newspaper dailies and periodicals in the American Era (1900-1941).

The American Occupation

• The transition from the Spanish Colonial period to the American Occupation period demonstrated shifts in culture, society, and politics.
• Filipino politicians did not understand the essence of democracy and the rising dynastic politics.
• Patronage became influential.
• There was a rising number of motorized vehicles and taxis because policy implementation was mediocre.
• Laws governing the issuance of driver's licenses were loose.
• The poor Filipinos were still governed by the U.S.

Corazon Aquino's Speech before the U.S. Congress

• Aquino functioned as the symbol of the restoration of democracy.
• Ninoy Aquino was a former Senator.
• Cory was able to capture the imagination of the people whose rights and freedom had long been compromised throughout the Marcos regime.
• Cory came from a rich haciendero family.
• Paired with the looming economic crisis, Marcos had to do something to prove to his allies in the United States that he remained to be the democratically anointed leader of the country

Revolution of 1986

• Leading military officials of the regime and Martial Law orchestrators, Juan Ponce Enrile and Fidel V. Ramos overturned Marcos from presidency
• Cory went to the United States in September 18, 1986, and spoke before the joint session of the U.S. Congress.
• Ninoy challenged the legitimacy of the trial so he did a hunger strike and fasted for 40 days.
• Ninoy's death was because the dictator had called him a nobody and the incident sparked the revolution.
• She acquired her democratic philosophy from Ninoy.
• President Marcos set aside democracy to save it from a communist insurgency that numbered less than five hundred.
• Cory's peace agenda involves political initiatives and a re-integration program.
• A controversy was the foreign debt.
• Many of the conditions imposed on the previous government.
• Given the peaceful character of EDSA People Power Revolution, "ours must have been the cheapest revolution ever.

Government Framework After Marcos

• She demonstated that Filipino people fulfilled "the most difficult condition of the debt negotiation', which was the ‘restoration of democracy and responsible government."
• The U.S. had spent lives and treasure to bring freedom to many lands.
• Cory ended her speech by thanking America for serving as home to her family.
• She enjoyed America in building the Philippines as a new home for democracy.
• Aquino's speech cemented the legitimacy of the EDSA government and she drew a contrast that was opposite to her predecessor.
• Aquino was committed to a democratic constitution drafted by an independent commission.
• Cory hoisted herself as the agent of reconciliation.
• Cory's speech recognizes the intentions of the Marcos regime.
• Cory decided to build and continue with an alliance.
• Government framework can be perceived from Cory's speech