1. The evolution and the context of the subject history.

Studying history allows us to gain valuable perspectives on the problems of our

modern society. Many problems, features, and characteristics of modern Philippine society can
be traced back to historical questions on our colonial past, as well as our pre-colonial culture.
the recorded history of the Philippines begins with the creation of the Laguna Copperplate
Inscription (LCI) in 900, the first written document found in an ancient Philippine language. The
inscription itself identifies the date of its creation, and on its deciphering in 1992 moved the
boundary between Philippine history and prehistory back 600 years. The Philippines is classified
as part of the Indo sphere and the Sinosphere, making its many cultures sophisticated and
intermixed. Prior to the LCI, the earliest record of the Philippine Islands corresponded with the
arrival of Ferdinand Magellan in 1521. Magellan's arrival marks the beginning of the Spanish
colonial period Other sources of pre-colonial history include archeological findings, records from
contact with the Song Dynasty, the Bruneian Empire, Japan, and Muslim traders, genealogical
records of Muslim rulers, and the collected accounts which were put into writing by Spanish
chroniclers in the 17th century, as well as then-extant cultural patterns which had not yet been
swept away by the coming tide of hispanization. The period prior to Spanish colonization made
the Philippines a part of both the Indos phere and Sino sphere. The Philippines is named after
King Philip II of Spain (1556-1598) and it was a Spanish colony for over 300 years.

1 Today the Philippines is an archipelago of 7,000 islands. However it is believed that during the
last ice age they were joined to mainland Asia by a land bridge, enabling human beings to walk
from there The first people in the Philippines were hunter-gatherers. However between 3,000
BC and 2,000 BC people learned to farm. They grew rice and domesticated animals. From the
10th AD century Filipinos traded with China and by the 12th Century AD Arab merchants
reached the Philippines and they introduced Islam.Then in 1521 Ferdinand Magellan sailed
across the Pacific. He landed in the Philippines and claimed them for Spain. Magellan baptized
a chief called Humabon and hoped to make him a puppet ruler on behalf of the Spanish crown.
Magellan demanded that other chiefs submit to Humabon but one chief named Lapu Lapu
refused. Magellan led a force to crush him.

However the Spanish soldiers were scattered and Magellan was killed.The Spaniards did not
gain a foothold in the Philippines until 1565 when Miguel Lopez de Legazpi led an expedition,
which built a fort in Cebu. Later, in 1571 the Spaniards landed in Luzon.
Here they built the city of Intramuros (later called Manila), which became the capital of the
Philippines. Spanish conquistadors marched inland and conquered Luzon. They created a
feudal system. Spaniards owned vast estates worked by Filipinos.Along with conquistadors
went friars who converted the Filipinos to Catholicism. The friars also built schools and
universities. The Spanish colony in the Philippines brought prosperity - for the upper class
anyway! Each year the Chinese exported goods such as silk, porcelain and lacquer to the
Philippines. From there they were re-exported to Mexico The years passed uneventfully in the
Philippines until in 1762 the British captured Manila. They held it for two years but they handed
it back in 1764 under the terms of the Treaty of Paris, signed in 1763.

2. The significant of the subject in terms of benefits of people, country and schools.
 Studying history allows us to gain valuable perspectives on the problems
of our modern society. Many problems, features, and characteristics of modern
Philippine society can be traced back to historical questions on our colonial past, as well
as our pre-colonial culture. Our export-oriented economy, for example, can be traced
back to the ending of the galleon trade and the subsequent liberalization and tying of the
country to the world market, coupled with the lack of industrial advancement in the
islands. This and other lessons can be uncovered by digging deep into the country’s
past. was developed and more valued by many because it inspires people. Studying
literature involves reading, discussing, thinking and writing helping students to improve
in those areas. It explores different human beliefs, ideas and societies

This also applies to other countries’ histories, and while studying the past may not
actually present a solution to current problems or directly answer questions, they lend
new and alternative perspectives to current situations and allow us to further understand
current problems. If we want to know how and why our world is the way it is today, we
have to look to history for answers. People often say that “history repeats itself,” but if we
study the successes and failures of the past, we may, ideally, be able to learn from our
mistakes and avoid repeating them in the future. Studying history can provide us with
insight into our cultures of origin as well as cultures with which we might be less familiar,
thereby increasing cross-cultural awareness and understanding.

History as a discipline allows us to see beyond textbooks and see the past through new
lenses. There were times in the Spanish colonial period where the clergy and religious
orders assigned to the country were the ones causing misery to the Filipinos, while there
are times when the Church truly cared for the natives and the government was the one
doing the people harm. This is an interesting part of our history that sadly reaches the
textbooks in a boring, oversimplified version that says all the Spanish were bad. If we
cling to what the textbooks tell us then we will already have a wrong understanding of
Philippine history. The study of history allows us to see beyond the standard textbook
and to the primary source itself, interpreted into new and alternative viewpoints.

Philippine history is in and of itself very interesting. Philippine history is a unique

narrative of colonialism, reaction, and revolution. It is also a culturally diverse the
country (i.e. more on the day-to-day experience of the Filipinos during certain periods) and
uncover more stories beyond the usual stories taught in schools across the country. The
country’s experience of colonialism, the rise of nationalistic feelings, and the people’s
subsequent reaction may allow us to gain more perspectives on nationalism and
revolutions. The study of history is important because it allows one to make more sense
of the current world. One can look at past economic and cultural trends and be able to offer
reasonable predictions of what will happen next in today's world. One can also
understand why some rules exist in the modern world. For example, one can
understand the importance of the social welfare programs if one looks at the Great
Depression and New Deal. We can also look back on the Civil Rights movement
and see why the United States puts so much effort into creating a system where ev
eryone is equal before the law and has equal access to public amenities. History also
allows us to see how the United States gradually created the Constitution after it had just
fought a war against a central government that did not care for colonial
interests. Without a background in history, one does not appreciate why the Constitution was
revolutionary for its time. More broadly, history enables us to understand different cultures. If
those are not good reasons for studying history, one can study history because it allows
one to exercise their critical thinking skills. These critical thinking skills are important for
all areas in life, academic and otherwise. Historians also write a great deal; a study of history
allows one to practice writing for different audiences.

3. In a paragraph explain the strength, weakness and opportunities in the subject

history give remedial measures to address the weaknesses and threats justify or
defend each of your stand and decisions.

Strengths

courage of the heroes that fought and died for us. Obviously, when we
study the history of the Philippines, we will know its entire history as a country and as
subject of colonization. We can also know how did the civilization began. We will know
also, its struggle for independence, the heroic experiences that the Filipinos had done
just to get their own independence against the colonizers who devoured the natural
resources, and by studying the Philippine history, we will discover why this country is still
suffering poverty in spite of its rich natural resources. The Strength of the subject history
is when others can pass is through the other people who in full learning of it and the one
who can really understand it and able to apply it in a suitable situation. And who is willing
to learn it, has a spirit to understand it. because the strength of this subject is the student
or the person who wants or willingly to learn.

Weakness
Our students – even after years of basic education from the best and
most expensive schools in the country – didn't know much about the Philippine-
American War. In fact, it was a blind spot in many of their outlines. Many of them would
churn out something like this (edited output of one of my students, a first year Polscie
student in 1998):. opposite of the strength because if a student or a person is not
interested in the subject history, they just ignore it or not into it. they can pass it through
to the next generation to make it still alive or the remain it, by that the history will be
forgotten. The educational system continues to miseducate Filipinos by glorifying the
boons of continuing foreign domination at the expense of indigenous culture. School
children learn very little of their country´s history, especially of the heroic resistance of
their ancestors to American occupation
Opportunities
the opportunities in studying history you will able to know the past event
of you own country, when many students gathering to school, because I am
sure there are many students who wants to learn the history than any other
subjects that is the one factors of the opportunities. And in other way is when
person who always want to understand the history like a researcher. And
there’s a lot of opportunities when you study history you can make your own
book by your self then sell it. You can do a research to make the student make
easier to understand the word history and to know the past event and the past
culture of the Philippines.

Threats
when many students gathering to school, because I am sure there are many
students who wants to learn the history than any other subjects that is the one factors of
the opportunities. And in other way is when person who always want to understand the
history like a researcher.
RYMON LEE VASALLO BSIT-1

RESEARCH
PAPER
A SWOT ANALYSIS ON READING PHIL. HISTORY

S-STRENGTH
W-EAKNESS
O-PPOTUNITIES
T-HEATS