INTRODUCTION TO READINGS

IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY
DEFINITION AND SUBJECT MATTER
History has always been known as the study of
the past.

Derived from the Greek word “historia” which

means “knowledge acquire through inquiry or
investigation”

As a discipline existed for around 2,400 years.

Historia became known as the account of the past of
a person or a group of person.

Define as happenings or series of happenings. It is a

record of the past made available for the present.

Study of man and his achievements from the

beginning of written records to the present
 Charles III Jose Rizal St. Lorenzo Ruiz

It became the historian's duty to write about the lives of important individuals like monarchs, heroes,
saints and nobilities.
History focused on writing about:

WAR
REVOLUTION
IMPORTANT BREAK THROUGH

Moon Landing Barack Obama

July 20,1969 January 20,2009
Rufino Cardinal Santos Corazon Aquino
First Filipino Cardinal February 25, 1986
IMPORTANT BREAK THROUGH –
(2020)
IMPORTANT BREAK THROUGH – (2021)
 WHAT COUNTS AS
HISTORY?

NO DOCUMENTS, NO HISTORY

It means that unless a written document can prove a certain historical

event, then it cannot be considered as a historical fact.
 QUESTIONS AND ISSUES IN HISTORY
What is
History?
Why Study
History?

History for
whom?
These questions can be answered by
Historiography.

In simple terms, Historiography is the

history of history.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

EVALUATION

SELECTION OF AUTHENTIC
SOURCE MATERIALS
 History and Historiography should not be confused with
each other.

History - Study of the past, the Historiography - the object

events that happened in the past of study is history itself.
 History becomes an active factor in the study of
Philippine Society.

It includes a look into the development of

Philippine culture

Through time especially the influences of the

colonial period that would eventually shape the
present Philippine identity
 Why Study History?

An examination of the past can tell us a

great deal about how we came to be who we
are.

Looking at the past teaches us to see the world

through different eyes appreciating the diversity
of human perceptions, beliefs and cultures.
 ROLES OF HISTORY

States use history to

unite a nation.
As a tool to legitimized regimes
and forge a sense of collective
memory.
As a narrative, any history that has been taught and written is
always intended for a certain group of audience.

Filipinos are people of their own intellect

and culture.
 ISSUES OF HISTORY
One of the problems confronted
by history is the accusation that
history is always written by the
victors.
 HISTORY AND HISTORIAN

Historian is a person of his own who is

influence by his own context, environment,
ideology, education and influences.

“ FACTS CANNOT SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES”

It is the historian's job not just to seek historical
evidence and facts but also to interpret these
facts.

It is the historian's job to give meaning to these

facts and organize them into a timeline,
establish causes and write history .

If history is written with agenda or is

heavily influenced by the historian. it
is possible to come up with absolute
historical truth? “ HISTORY IS ALWAYS
SUBJECTIVE”
 HISTORICAL METHODOLOGY
Comprises certain technique and rules that
historian follows in order to utilize sources and
historical evidences in writing history

Historical research requires rigors

Certain rules apply in cases of conflicting

accounts in different sources and on how to
properly treat eyewitness account and oral
source as valid historical evidence.

The study of history remains scientific

because of the rigor of research and
methodology that historian employ
He needs to validate the claims of his informant
through comparing and corroborating its
written sources.

The historian can balance this out by relying to

evidences that back up his claim.
 NEXT LESSON MODULE 2 :
DISTINCTION BETWEEN PRIMARY AND
SECONDARY SOURCES
LESSON 2: DISTINCTION BETWEEN PRIMARY
AND SECONDARY SOURCES
In conducting any historical research, different
sources of information are required to gain
extensive knowledge on a particular topic.

Some researchers rely on written sources

while other choose to make use of oral
sources.
 In this day and age, the proliferation of fake news
is evident in both print and digital media
platforms.

Thus it becomes more apparent that sources of

texts should be scrutinized for their credibility.

The historian’s most important research tools

are historical sources.

In general historical sources can be classified

between primary and secondary sources.
 HISTORICAL SOURCES

Primary Source

are those produced at the same time

as the event, period or subject being
studied.
The 1986 Constitutional Commission
 The 1986 constitution commission his primary source can include:

1. Minutes of the commission 2. Newspaper clippings

 4. Eyewitness accounts of the commission
delegates
3. The draft constitution
 PRIMARY SOURCES
1.These people are either participants or eyewitnesses to the event.
2. Photographs that may reflect social conditions of historical realities and everyday life.
3. Material evidence of the pre-historic past like cave drawings, old syllabus and
ancient writings.
4. Statistical tables, graphs and charts
5. Cartoons for political expression or propaganda.
6. Old sketches and drawings that may indicate the conditions of life of societies in the past.
7. Oral history or recordings by electronic means of accounts of eyewitnesses or participants.
 Secondary Source

are historical sources which

studied certain historical subject

are those sources used by the author

who used primary sources to produce
the materials.

Teodoro Agoncillo's Revolt of the
Masses: The Story of Bonifacio
and the Katipunan published in
1956.
Agoncillo used primary sources with his
research like documents and interview with
the veterans of the Revolution
The primacy of primary over secondary sources
has always been recognized . This due to the fact
that a primary source provides better and more
accurate historical details compared to secondary
source.

The authenticity and reliability of primary sources

should be scrutinized before they are used.

Cases of forgery and mislabeling are common in

Philippine historiography.
 An example of forgery in historical documents is the story of the
great forger , Roman Roque

Who allegedly forged the signature of Gen. Ubano Lacuna that

led to the captivity of Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo
The supposed autobiography of Josephine
Bracken which asserts her marriage to
Rizal under catholic rites was badly forged
Historian and students of history need thoroughly scrutinize these historical sources to
avoid deception and to come up with the historical truth.

Historian should be able to conduct an external and internal criticism of the

source.
 EXTERNAL CRITICISM

The practice of verifying the authenticity

of the evidence by examining its physical
characteristics

Consistency with the historical characteristics

of the time when it was produced and the
materials used for the evidence .
 EXAMPLE:

Quality of paper

Type of ink

Language used
 INTERNAL CRITICISM

The examination of the truthfulness of evidence by

looking at the author of the source.
It looks at the content of the source and
examines the circumstances of its production

Looks at truthfulness and factuality of the evidence by

looking at the author of the source, its context, the
agenda behind of its creation, the knowledge which
informed it and intended purposes
EXAMPLE:

Japanese Declaration of War

One of the scandalous cases of
deception in the Philippine
history is the hoax Code of
Kalantiaw

The authenticity of the code

was debunked due to the
lack of evidence to prove that
the code existed in the
Precolonial Philippine
Society
Ferdinand Marcos also claimed that he was a decorated
World War II soldier who led a guerilla unit called “Ang
Maharlika”.

This was widely believed by students of history and

Marcos had war medals to show.
Alfred McCoy
This claim was disproven when historian
counterchecked Marcos's claim with the war
records of the United States
These cases prove how deceptions can propagate
without rigorous historical research.

The task of the historians is to look at the available

historical sources and select the most relevant and
meaningful for history and for the subject matter that he
is studying.
 NEXT LESSON MODULE 3 :
MGA GUNITA NG HIMAGSIKAN
(EMILIO AGUINALDO)
MGA GUNITA NG HIMAGSIKAN
(EMILIO AGUINALDO)
First volume of his memoirs “ Mga Gunita ng
Himagsikan” (1964). Translated from the original
tagalog “Memoirs of the revolution” (1967)

In the preface Aguinaldo says the memoirs

were based:
1. On diary he kept.
2. Documents he preserved
3. Family lore gathered from his elders.

All we have is an account from his birth and

early years, ending with the 1897 Treaty of
Biak na Bato
It was at the end of 1963 that Aguinaldo after
much deliberation, decided to publish his
memoirs.

Mga Gunita ng Himagsikan was officially

released to the public in 1967.
It was presumed by Ambeth Ocampo (2017) that
a second volume was also drafted by Aguinaldo,
which could have covered the resumption of the
Philippine revolution against Spain and Philippine
-American war

Until now no one knows whether it was actually written

Ocampo hints that it might hidden in a secret compartment
drawer or passageway in the Aguinaldo Shrine in Kawit,
Cavite.
 Background of the Author

Emilio Famy Aguinaldo was born on March 22, 1869

In Kawit, Cavite

The seventh children of Carlos Jamir Aguinaldo

and Trinidad Famy-Aguinaldo.
Aguinaldo’s family was well off since his father
was the community’s gobernadacillo of their
pueblo.

Emilio attended high school at the Colegio de

San Juan de Letran but has to stop on his
fourth year because of his father’s death.

He then took the responsibility of helping his

mother run their farm.
In 1895 at the age of 25 he became Kawit’s first
“gobernadorcillo capitan municipal”

Aguinaldo became a freemason, joining Pilar

Lodge No.203, Imus Cavite with the
codename “Colon”
He also joined the Katipunan and used the
nom de guerre “Magdalo” in honor of Mary
Magdalene.
Aguinaldo would later become the first and
youngest president of the First Philippine
Republic.
 His presidency was cut short when he
was captured by the American soldiers
in Palanan, Isabela.

He pledged his loyalty to the American

government thus dissolving the First
Republic .
He tried to rejoin politics by challenging
Manuel L. Quezon in the 1935 presidential
elections.

He lost, leading him to retire from public

life President Elpidio Quirino appointed him as member
of the Philippine Council of State in 1950.
Emilio Aguinaldo died of coronary thrombosis
on February 6, 1964. he was 94 years old.
In his lifetime he was able to witness the administration of succeeding presidents of the
Philippines until the term of President Diosdado Macapagal.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF
MGA GUNITA NG HIMAGSIKAN

Aguinaldo produced the first volume of

his memoirs between 1928 and 1946.

The signing of Biak na Bato Treaty in

1897.
 3 REASON WHY GUINTA NG HIMAGSIKAN IS IMPORTANT
NARRATIVE OF PHILIPPINE HISTORY

1. History is about learning the truth, therefore

studying every angle of historical evidence helps in
proving which event is factual.

The Gunita ng Himagsikan can provide clues or

hints for historians
2. Gunita ng Himagsikan is looking at Philippine History through
the eyes of Emilio Aguinaldo. It gives Aguinaldo perspective on
Treaty of Biak na Bato.
 3. Gunita ng Himagsikan is still part of
Philippine History

It gives us an insight into the personal

thoughts and feelings of Aguinaldo which will
help in a deeper understanding of Philippine
• It is an attempt of Emilio Aguinaldo to wash his
hands on the tragic death of Andres Bonifacio.

• This a way of vindicating himself from negatives

aspersions against him.
 CONTRIBUTIONS

Aguinaldo’s memoirs which is a first

hand narrative of the first Philippine
Republic.

Offers a different perspective and provides

basis for corroboration of other historical
sources.
 LEARNING EXPERIENCE

Proves that we need to

study the past.
The document teaches us more about
history that encourages our mind to read
more about our history.

How our heroes have changed our

lives today.
 ACTIVITY
An Open Letter to the First President

Write an open letter addressed to the

President of the First Philippine Republic,
EMILIO AGUINLADO

If you were to talk to Aguinaldo, what would

you like to tell him?

What would you ask him?

 NEXT LESSON MODULE 4 :
FIRST VOYAGE AROUND THE WORLD BY
MAGELLAN
READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY

Module 4: FIRST VOYAGE AROUND THE

WORLD BY MAGELLAN
 UNDERSTANDING PERSPECTIVE

Historical sources are written by various authors

with different perspective.

Perspective refers to the point of view of the said

writer who was witness to the event.
Though historical sources are
important in writing history, the
historian is careful in using these
sources as the write may be
biased or prejudiced on the
subject he/she is discussing.
The book was taken from chronicles of
contemporary voyagers and navigators
of the 16th century

Antonio Pigafetta who accompanied

Ferdinand Magellan in his fateful
circumnavigation of the world

Pigafetta’s work instantly became a

classic

Pigafetta’s travelogue is one of the most

important primary sources in the study
of precolonial Philippines.
Pigafetta’s account was a major referent
to the events leading to Magellan’s
arrival in the Philippines

His encounter with local leaders

His death in the hands of Lapu

Lapu’s forces in the Battle in
Mactan

The departure of what was left of

Magellan’s fleet
In Pigafetta's account their fleet reached what he called the Ladrones Islands or
the “Islands of Thieves”.

“
These people have no arms,
but use sticks which have a
fishbone at the end. they are
poor, but ingenious and great
thieves.”

The Ladrones Island is presently known

as the Marianas Island.
Ten days after they reached Ladrones Island,
Pigafetta reported they reached what is called
the isle of Zamal (now Samar)

Magellan decide to land in another

uninhabited island for greater security where
they could rest for 2 days
March 18, nine men came to them and
showed joy and eagerness in seeing them.
Magellan realized that the men were
reasonable and welcome them with food,
drinks and gifts.

Pigafetta characterizes the people as very

familiar and friendly and willingly showed
them different islands.
The fleet went to Humunu Island (Homonhon). It is in this place where they found the first signs of
gold in the island. They named the island as the Archipelago of St. Lazarus
 On March 25, Pigafetta recounted they saw
two ballanghai (balangay), a long boat full of
people in Mazaua. The leader referred to as
king sent his men to the ship of Magellan.

The Europeans entertained these men

and gave them gifts
When the king offered to give Magellan a bar of
gold and a chest of ginger, Magellan declined.

Magellan asked for money for the needs of his

ships and expressed that he came to islands
as friend and not as enemy.
Magellan boasted of his men in armor who could not be struck with swords and daggers.
The kings was fascinated and remarked that men in such armor could be worth one
hundred of his men. Magellan showed his other weapons, helmets and artilleries. Magellan
also shared his charts and maps and shared how they found the islands.+
Magellan was introduced to the king’s brother who
is also a king of another Island. They went to this
island and Pigafetta reported that they saw mines
of gold.

The gold was abundant that parts of the ship and

of the house of the king were made of gold.

The King was named Raia Calambu, King of

Zuluan and Calagan (Butuan and Caragua).
 On March 31 which happened to be Easter Sunday. Magellan ordered the chaplain to preside
a Mass by the shore. This Mass would go down in history as the first Mass in the Philippines.

“When the offertory f the mass came. Two kings, went to kiss the cross like us, but they offered
nothing and at the elevation of the body of our Lord they were kneeling like us and adored our
Lord with joined hands.”
 After the mass, Magellan ordered that the
cross be brought with nails and crown in
place.

He explained that the cross, the nail and the

crown were the signs of his emperor and was
ordered to plant it in the places that he would
reach.

Magellan further explained that the cross would be beneficial for their people because once
other Spaniards saw this cross then they would know that they have been in tis island and
would not cause troubles.
 Magellan and his men decide to move and look
for islands where they could acquire more
supplies and provisions.

Cebu the largest and richest of the islands, by

April 7 he reached the port of Cebu.

The King of Cebu demanded that Magellan pay

tribute as it was customary, but he refused.
Magellan's interpreter explained to the King of
Cebu that Magellan's king was the emperor of a
great empire and would do them better to make
friends with them.

“then the king said he was content and as a

greater sign of affection he sent him a little
blood from his right arm and wished he should
do the like.

The following day, Magellan spoke before

the people Cebu about peace and God .
 14th of April Magellan encouraged the king to be good Christian by burning the idols and
worship the cross. the King of Cebu was then baptize as a Christian.

“To that the king and all his people

answered that they would obey the
commands of the captain and do all
that he told them.”

“ The captain took the king by

hand and walked about the
scaffolding and when he was
baptized he said that he would
name him Don Carlos
(Charles).
Mass was conducted by the shore
everyday. when the Queen came to mass
one day, Magellan gave her an image of
the Infant Jesus made by Pigafetta
himself.
26th of April – Zula- a principal man from the
island of Matan (Mactan) went to see Magellan
and asked him for a boat full of men so he
would able to fight a chief named Silapulapu
(Lapu Lapu)

Magellan offered three boats and expressed

his desire to go to Mactan himself to fight Lapu
Lapu. Magellan's forces numbered 49 and the
islanders of Mactan were estimated 1,500.
“When we reached land we found the islanders fifteen hundred in number, they came down upon
us with terrible shouts”...The Captain then divided his men in two bands.
Throwing arrows, javelins, spears, stones and even mud. some of them cast lances pointed with
iron at the captain general.”
 Magellan was pierced with a poisoned arrow in his
right leg. Magellan was specifically targeted because
the natives knew he was the Captain General.

Magellan was hit with a lance in the face. Magellan

retaliated, he tried to draw his sword but could not lift it
because of his wounded arms. Seeing that the Captain
has already deteriorated, more natives came to attack
him.
Magellan died in that battle. The natives perceiving that the bodies of the enemies were protected
with armors, aimed for their legs instead.
One native with a great sword delivered a blow in
Magellan's left leg, brought him face down and the
native attacked him with lances, swords and even
with their bare hands

Pigafetta said that the king of Cebu could have

sent help but Magellan instructed him not to
join in the battle and stay in the balangay so
that he would see how they fought.
The King offered the people of Mactan gifts of any value in exchange of Magellan's body but
the chief refused. They wanted to keep Magellan's body as a memento of their victory
 ANALYSIS OF PIGAFETTA'S
CHRONICLE
The chronicle of Pigafetta was one of the most cited
documents by historians who wished to study the precolonial
Philippines. Pigafetta was a credible source for a period
which was prior unchronicled and undocumented.

In the case of Pigafetta was the reader needs to understand

that he was a chronicler commissioned by the king of Spain
to accompany and document a voyage intended to expand
the Spanish empire. He was also of a noble descent who
came from a rich family.
He was coming from a 16 th century
European perspective. Hence he regarded
the indigeneous belief systems and way of
life as inferior to that of Christianity and of
the Europeans.

Pigafetta description of the people, he

would always remarked on the nakedness
of the natives or how he was fascinated by
their exotic culture
Pigafetta would always mention the abundance of gold in the Island. An
empire like that of Spain would indeed search for new lands where they
could acquire more gold and wealth to be on top of all European nations.
The obsession with spices might be odd for
Filipinos because of its ordinariness in the
Philippines, but scare in Europe, hence were
seen as prestige goods.
These contexts should be used and understood
in order to have a more qualified reading of
Pigafetta's account.

that era, Spain and Portugal coveted the control of

spice islands because it would have led to a certain
increase in wealth, influence and power.
 RELEVANCE

1. Credit must be given to the Magellan expedition for proving

That the earth is not flat but an oblate sphere.

2. Magellan and his men completed the first

circumnavigation of the world.

3. The Portuguese route is not the only way to Pacific Ocean

Spice Island.

4. The other side of the American continent exist a

Large body of water which they named PACIFIC
OCEAN (Mar Pacifico)