CHAPTER 1: MEANING AND RELEVANCE OF HISTORY

In its simple term, history is the study of the relevant human past. It was derived from the Greek word
Historia which mean knowledge acquired through inquiry or investigation” The discipline of the history can
trace its roots to the Greco Roman period pertaining to the rise of idea about history by Herodotus, Thucydides
and Polybius. We used the term Historiography to denote the history of History. It gives us the chance to
understand better where history is coming from.
School of Thought
1. Positivism – this school of thought requires the empirical and observable, evidence before one can
claim that a particular knowledge is true. It requires written evidence or primary sources to write a
historical narrative. Hence the phrase “NO DOCUMENTS, NO HISTORY.
2. Postcolonialism – this school of thought is the start of decolonization attempt of the scholars
coming from colonized countries to assert their own identity and understanding of their past free
from the shadow of their colonizer.
3. Annales School of History – this school of thought did way with the common historical subject
that were almost always related to conduct of state and monarch. It is the pioneer of the history
from below which emphasized the history of the classes that were not include of reflected in the
History.
Sources are the most important tools for historian to access or understand the past. Primary Resources
are the eyewitness accounts or the sources that was written on the same time, event, period, or subject being
studied. On the other hand. Secondary sources are account of sources that were not present, time, event, period
or subject and these materials were produced using primary sources. One of the great examples of secondary
resources is the Revolt of Masses. The Story of Bonifacio and the Katipunan written by Teodoro Agoncillo
which talks about the Philippine Revolution of 1896 and role of Andres Bonifacio in said revolution. To test the
credibility and authenticity of the primary sources, we used internal and external criticism. Internal Criticism
involves the critique of sources by looking at the content and truthfulness of evidence. It looks the truthfulness
and factuality of the evidence by looking at the author of the sources its context. The agenda behind the creation
the knowledge which informed its and its intended purpose, among other. On the other hand External
Criticism involves the critiques of sources which focuses on the physical characteristic of the sources by
looking at the quality of papers , the type of ink and language and word used in the material , among others.
CHAPTER II: ANALYZING THE SIGNIFICANCE OF PRIMARY SOURCES TO THE HISTORY
OF THE FILIPIN PEOPLE
1. First Voyage Around the World, Antonio Pigafetta
The crusade and the travel of Marco played a huge role in introducing the product of the Asia to the
Europe such as porcelain, silk, herbs, carpet, spices, and other oriental products. From all these products. From
all these products, spices are the most important because it was the most expensive and in demand commodity.
Spices served as preservatives., flavor, enhancement, and as medicine. This is the reason why many travelers
and merchant wanted to monopolize the market of spices in Europe. Traders and merchant used the Silk road
and the Arabian- Italian route as their main pathway to go to Asia for its commodities, However passing these
route were very expensive due to high taxes and passing , these routes were sometimes interrupted by wars,
pirates and natural calamities. When Constantinople fell from the hand of the Ottoman Turk, the easiest route
going to Asia was closed. This is the reason why different countries in Europe was pressured to look for new
route to buy spices from the main source of Spices Island or Moluccas (Maluku). The Age of Discovery and
Exploration in the 15th Century had a huge impact to Europe because it led to discovery of island unknown to
European and discover of new route going to Asia. The effort of Prince Henry , the Navigator to eastern side
going to Spices Island via Atlantic and Indian Ocean Spain on the other hand , became a world super power in
the 15th century because Kingdom of Castile and Kingdom of Aragon merged through Catherine and Ferdinand,.
The fall of Kingdom of Granada handled by the Muslim also contributed to the rise of Spain Superpower. With
the success of Portugal Spain followed to send different voyage outside the Iberian Peninsula. The King of
Spain financed the transportation to Atlantic voyage of Christopher Columbus, wherein he discovered the New
World or America. After a few decades. The King of Spain also financed the voyage of Ferdinand Magellan
using the westward route going to east because Portugal did not support the proposal which made him the first
person to circumnavigate the world. This discovery led to the colonization of the Philippines commerce by
Miguel Lopez de Legaspi wherein they use the 3 G’S their main objective.
1. Gold – to accumulate wealth
2. God - to spread Christianity among the pagan areas of the Philippines.
3. Glory- to become one of the imperialistic powers

Among the importance of the documents are the following 1.) The first detailed documents and narrative about
the pre-colonial and pre-Hispanic Philippines and Filipinos 2.) Contain the first translation of Cebuano into
Spanish language 3.) The nautical and linguistic data in the documents were useful to subsequent explorer and
4.) Increased the knowledge of westerners about the east Indies and broadened their perspective about the
culture and Geography.

2. Custom of the Taglogs , Juan De Placensia

According to different scholar studying Sinaunang Bayan, the Philippine has its own economic, social,
cultural, and political system prior to colonization period contrary to usual claim, that Philippine was civilized
by colonizers, especially the Spaniards. This claim was supported by archeological evidence and account of
Chinese officials and Muslim scholar present during the time when the Philippines slowly establishing its
relation to the other communities or countries in Asia, However bulk of our existing primary sources about
Sinaunang Bayan was written by Friar because the played a huge role of establishment of early Spanish
government in the Philippines . They monitor and supervise the action by Filipinos who serve as a
gobernadorcillos of the pueblo or municipio. They also write letter and report to their superior about the
development happening their respective parishes including their report about the number of convert the practice
and socio economics situation of people and difficulties they encounter in the pueblo. Relacion de las
Costumbres de los, Tagalogs (Custom of the Tagalogs, 1589). Written by Friar Juan de Placensia was great
example of these report.
Fray Juan De Plasencia(Joan de Portocarrero his real name) was resident of Extremadura. Spain in the
16th Century during the Golden Age of Spain (Sigio de Oro) as member of Franciscan order they had two main
duties namely missionary and sacerdotal duties. He was sent in different places mainly in Luzon (Quezon
province, Rizal, Laguna and Bulacan) to perform these duties. His contact with the Tagalog convert inspired
him to write his book Relacion de las Costumbres de los, Tagalogs (Custom of the Tagalogs, 1589). He was
able to provide a extensive information about the Tagalog primary to their political and socio cultural history.
Other than the Friar colonial official also wrote their own narrative about their observation about Sinaunang
Bayan. One of them was Miguel de Loarca who landed in the Philippine by 1576 and was assigned in Panay as
encomendero . During his stint as ecomendero has able to observe (1582). Another prominent colonial official
that has a book about his observation in the Sangunian bayan was Antonio de Morgan. He landed on the
Philippine Island by 1595 and was assigned as Asesor and Teniete General. He was able to write Sucesos de las
Islas Filipinas, the most important documents that gives information about 16 th century Philippines. However,
the Custom of the Tagalog is not limited to discussion about the Tagalog society but also other society or group
of people living in the island like the Aeta and Negritos. Fray Juan de Plasencia mentioned that Aetas and
Negritos had their belief that after death there is a paradise which they call as maca.
The Custom of Tagalog is an important document because of the following reason.

 It has continued to serve basis for historical reconstruction of Tagalog society.

 It affirms that during the Sinaunang Bayan. Filipinos already have a government as well as set of
belief and practice contrary to the idea that the colonizers civilized us.
 It helps in understanding and preserving many of traditional ways of the of the local population
 Provide the first from of Civil Code used by local governor and administer justice
 It gives knowledge and information on what is the culture and belief of the Filipinos during that
time.

3. Raider of the Sulu Sea

This documentary showed the culture of slave-raiding in Mindanao that was still prevalent during the
Spanish and American period Balangingi, Samal, Ilanun and Tausug are the most prominent indigenous group
who practice slave raiding. Also, this documentary talk about the war between the Spaniard colonizer and the
Moros of the Mindanao. One of the document war or battle of the Moros against the colonizer is the Battle of
Fort Pilar led by Rajah Dalas the Maguindanao King. The reason on why wars existed between the colonizer
and the Moros are the following: 1.) The Spaniard forced to spread of Christianity in the Philippines that
heightened the bias against the Moros. 2.) the Spaniard controlled the maritime in the areas where in Moros
were getting their livelihood that resulted to the wide spread of poverty in some of the Moro communities and
3.) the American killed many Moros during their period in the country.
4. Kartilya ng Katipunan by Emilio Jacinto

Kataas-taasang ng Kagalang-galangan Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan (KKK) was founded by

Andres Bonifacio as a response to the abusive and harsh colonial government and the call of many Filipinos for
freedom. Besides these conditions, there were event that influence to the decision of Bonifacio to establish the
Katipunan and the creation of Kartilya ng Katipunan. These events were following:

1. Age of Enlightenment: Coffee houses literary salons and newspapers served as the places to
circulate, transfer, and develop idea like liberalism, classicism and modernism, also secret
societies were established during the time like Freemason.
2. French Revolution: this event marks the overthrow of monarch in France where political and
social disturbance was initiated by the people. This is reason why modern political ideologies
such as radicalism, liberalism and nationalism developed and was able to influence the
Ilustrados in the Philippines and in Europe.
3. Masonry: a civic organization promoting fraternity. According to the Friar this is the main
reason for the establishment of Katipunan and was also seen as the root cause of the problems
in the society.
4. Propaganda Movement: driven by the execution of the GOMBURZA because they were
accused as the main perpetuator of the Cavity Mutiny of 1872. The movement wanted to
propose and asked different reform from Spanish government showing that the movement do
not want to have full separation of the Philippine from Spain.