Name: Jemmel N. Galindo & Rodel F.

Chua_Course & Year: BEED 2-A

Activity #1

Instruction: Read the two types of sources that presented to you (The Primary and
Secondary Source). Afterwards, answer the question below.
You encode your answer below after the question using font style (Arial), Font size (12),
Spacing (1.15), and use Justify. Your answer must be in English NO TAGLISH. After
answering you submit it by Tuesday, during our class schedule. Fail to submit on time
will be given a minus points.

Primary Source:

A Letter to Emilio Jacinto by Andres Bonifacio

News was also received here last month that you have been killed by the
Carabineers because, it was said, you had given a bad order; but as this news came
from Imus, I did not believe it and I treated it as one of the usual duplicities of these
people.
As to the collection of money, I believe we need not beg, but should solicit or
take it from whoever is wealthy. Brother Don Nakpil wrote me, asking whether the
money collected by him, almost four hundred pesos or so, should be given to Mamerto
Natividad. Do not allow this to happen, because that man is not sincere in his friendship
with us, and he is very close to Magdalo people.
A piece of sickening news can tell you is the treachery committed by the chiefs of
the Magdalo Council who have applied for pardon or gone over to the Spaniards. These
are Daniel Tirona, Minister of War; Jose del Rosario, Minister of the Interior; Jose
Cailles, Lieutenant-General, and nearly all the Tanza people, even the parish priest
there, the whole lot of them henchmen pr partisan of Capitan Emilio. For this reason,
many people strongly suspect that they strive so hard to get control of the Government
in order to surrender the whole Revolution. Last week I ordered our soldiers to tie up
another of the Ministers of Capitan Emilio because he was caught as he was about to
escape with two Spanish prisoners and a lady. One of these Spaniards told the truth,
that they were going to escape. He [the Minister] was tried by a Council of War, but the
outcome, as usually happens here, was that everybody covered up for each other, or
favoritism. However, the record of the case against the minister mentioned, Don
Cayetano Topacio, remains in my possession, as does that against the Spaniards. This
is one of the reasons why we desire to leave here, most of whom have wicked
intentions.
We have taken away everything: the printing press, the necessary books, the big
map, and the tools for making cartridges.
The spoons you sent for the brother and sisters of Dimas could not be given to
them because they have already left in the direction of Silangan (Laguna). We have
sent for your mother, who is now in Maragondon, and we are still waiting for her.

Receive the close embrace that I send you from here.

Limbon, April 24, 1897

The President of the Sovereign Nation

And.: Bonifacio

Maypagasa

Source: Translation by Jim Richardson, Katipunan: Documents and Studies

Secondary Source:

Bonifacio and Jacinto were like brothers who never separated from each other if either
one could help it. Separation came late in December 1896 when Bonifacio went to
Cavite to mediate between two rival factions of the Katipunan in that province and
Jacinto, appointed commander-in-chief of the revolutionary forces in Laguna, went to
this province to direct the movements of the revolutionists. Nevertheless, they
communicated with each other when time and circumstances permitted. Bonifacio died
two years earlier than Jacinto, who while directing a campaign against the Spaniards in
Mahayhay, Laguna, contracted fever and died on April 16, 1899.

Source: History of the Filipino People, 8th ed. By Teodoro Agoncillo

Questions:

1. Do you consider the letter of Andres Bonifacio an eyewitness account or a firsthand

account of the Philippine Revolution? Explain your answer. (10points)

2. How different is the letter of Andres Bonifacio from the passage from Agoncillo’s
History of the Filipino People? Explain your answer. (10points)

3. Which of the two (The Letter of Bonifacio and the excerpt from History of the Filipino
People) gives you a direct link to the past? Why? (5points)

Answer:

1. The letter, which was written by Bonifacio as an eyewitness account of the revolution,
details his unique experiences and perceptions. It sheds light on how things played out
and the decisions made by Bonifacio and his fellow rebels.
The letter is also a first-person account because Bonifacio, a significant figure in the
Philippine Revolution, wrote it. This indicates that Bonifacio's ideas, feelings, and
viewpoints on the events he observed and took part in are all reflected in the letter.
All things considered, the letter is a priceless historical record that offers insights into
the struggles of those who fought for Philippine independence during the revolution.

2. Given that Andres Bonifacio's letter to Emilio Jacinto is a primary source written by
Bonifacio himself and that the section is a secondary source written by a historian, there
are likely to be significant differences between the two.First off, the excerpt from
Agoncillo's book would be more objective and based on evidence and analysis,
whereas the letter from Bonifacio to Jacinto is likely to be more personal and subjective,
expressing Bonifacio's own views, feelings, and experiences. In addition, the letter
might concentrate on certain occasions or facets of the Philippine Revolution that were
crucial to Bonifacio and Jacinto, but the section from Agoncillo's book might give a more
comprehensive summary of the revolution and its setting.
The letter from Bonifacio may also shed light on the dynamics of the Katipunan
revolutionary movement as well as the relationship between Bonifacio and Jacinto, but
the paragraph from Agoncillo's book may not particularly address these issues.
The paragraph from Agoncillo's History of the Filipino People and Andres Bonifacio's
letter to Emilio Jacinto may both offer insights on the Philippine Revolution, but they are
likely to differ in terms of their source, perspective, and purpose.
.
3. Being that the letter was written by Andres Bonifacio personally during the Philippine
Revolution, it provides a more direct relationship to the past. The letter serves as a
primary source that offers a clear, unmediated window into Bonifacio's thoughts,
feelings, and experiences. Bonifacio was a significant figure in the revolution.
On the other hand, the passage from Teodoro A. Agoncillo's History of the Filipino
People comes from a secondary source and was published after the historian had
thoroughly researched and examined the Philippine Revolution. Despite the fact that
Agoncillo's book may give a useful overview of the revolution, it is still a filtered and
interpreted narrative of the past. In general, primary sources—like Bonifacio's letter—
offer a more direct and immediate connection to the past, and secondary sources—like
Agoncillo's History of the Filipino People—offer a more interpreted and examined
account of historical events.