Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Overview
Learning the historical context of a primary source is critical for understanding the
attitudes and influences that shaped the creation of the primary cause. If not placed into a
historical context, a primary source's true meaning might be misinterpreted.
Learning Objectives
Lesson Proper
Primary sources
Primary historical sources are essential in understanding the political, economic, social, and
cultural aspects of Philippine History.
First-hand accounts written or in audiovisual or digital form have provided different
perspectives on specific historical events.
Example
They were identifying the historical importance of former President Corazon Aquino's
Speech before the U.S. Congress. In 1986, a former President, Corazon Aquino, stood before the
U.S. Congress in what is considered one of the most important political and diplomatic events in
Philippine History. She did so as the first female President of the country.
Analysis of Antonio Pigafetta's First Voyage Around the World. The Chronicles document
Magellan's arrival in the Visayas, his interaction with the locals and his death, and his fleet's
subsequent departure. That said, no primary source should be exempt from scrutiny.
Antonio Pigafetta was an Italian nobleman commissioned by Spain's king to document the
Spanish empire's expansion. His loyalties and social standing, compounded with the
circumstance of the-text production, influenced his narrative of pre-colonial Philippines.