Chapter 2

CONTENT AND CONTEXTUAL

ANALYSIS OF SELECTED
PRIMARY SOURCES IN
PHILIPPINE HISTORY
Judith P. Alindayo 1

Instructor

Chapter 2 Readings in Philippine History

  TOPICS
 A Brief Summary of the First Voyage around the World by
Magellan by Antonio Pigafetta (16th Century).
 The KKK and the “Kartilya ng Katipunan”
 Reading the “Proclamation of the Philippine Independence”
 A Glance at Selected Philippine Political Caricature in Alfred
McCoy’s Philippine Cartoons: Political Caricature of American Era
(1900-1941)
 Revisiting Corazon Aquino’s Speech Before the U.S. Congress

Chapter 2 Readings in Philippine History 2

 LESSON OVERVIEW
The lesson provides the students an overview on the
analysis on the content and context of selected primary
sources in Philippine History. This lesson allows the
students to interpret primary sources in our history.

Chapter 2 Readings in Philippine History 3

 DESIRED LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:
1. interpret primary sources through examining the content
and context of the document.

Chapter 2 Readings in Philippine History 4

 2) THE KKK AND THE
“KARTILYA NG
KATIPUNAN”
5

Chapter 2 Readings in Philippine History

 WHAT IS KKK?
Kataastaasang Kagalang-galangang
Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan (The
Highest and Most Respectable Society of
the Sons of the People) or Katipunan

Founded on July 7, 1892 at a house on

Azcarraga Street (Claro M. Recto
Avenue), Tondo, Manila by Andres
Bonifacio, Ladislao Diwa and Teodoro
Plata

Chapter 2 Readings in Philippine History 6

A secret society / hidden government
 VISIONS OF KATIPUNAN
1) A united Filipino nation that
would revolt against the
Spaniards

2) Total independence of the

country from Spain

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 KARTILYA NG KATIPUNAN
(Manga [sic] Aral Nang [sic] Katipunan ng
mga A.N.B. or “Lessons of the
Organization of the Sons of Country”

Written by Emilio Jacinto (1896) when he

is18 years old. A law student of
Universidad de Santo Tomas. He died at
the age of 24 in Magdalena, Laguna

Chapter 2 Readings in Philippine History 8

 KARTILYA NG KATIPUNAN
I. The life is not consecrated to a lofty and reasonable purpose
is a tree without a shade, if not a poisonous weed.

II. To do good for personal gain and not for its own sake is
not virtue.

III. It is rational to be charitable and love one’s fellow

creature, and to adjust one’s conduct, acts and words to what
is in itself reasonable.
Chapter 2 Readings in Philippine History 9
 KARTILYA NG KATIPUNAN
IV. Whether our skin be black or white, we are all born equal: superiority
in knowledge, wealth and beauty are to be understood, but not
superiority by nature.

V. The honorable man prefers honor to personal gain; the scoundrel, gain
to honor.

VI. To the honorable man, his words is sacred.

VII.Do not waste thy time: wealth can be recovered but not time lost.
Chapter 2 Readings in Philippine History 10
 KARTILYA NG KATIPUNAN
VIII.Defend the oppressed and fight the oppressor before the
law or in the field.

IX. The prudent man is sparing in words and faithful in

keeping secrets.

X. On the thorny path of life, man is the guide of woman and

the children, and if the guide leads to the precipice, those
whom he guide will always go there.
Chapter 2 Readings in Philippine History 11
 KARTILYA NG KATIPUNAN

VIII.Thou must not look upon a woman as a mere

plaything, but as a faithful companion who will
share with thee penalties of life; her (physical)
weakness will increase thy interest in her and
she will remind thee of the mother who bore
thee or reared thee.

Chapter 2 Readings in Philippine History 12

 KARTILYA NG KATIPUNAN
XII.What thou does not desire done unto thy wife, children, brothers and
sisters, that do not unto the wife, children, brothers and sisters of thy
neighbor.

XIII.Man is not worth more because he is a king, because his nose is

aquiline, and his color white, not because he is priest, a servant of God,
nor because of the high prerogative that he enjoys upon earth, but he is
worth most who is a man of proven and real value, who does good,
keeps his words, is worthy and honest; he who doesn’t oppress nor
consent to being oppressed, he who loves and cherishes his fatherland
though he be born in the wilderness and know no tongue but his own.
Chapter 2 Readings in Philippine History 13
 KARTILYA NG KATIPUNAN

XIV.When these rules of conduct shall be known to all, the

longed-for sun of Liberty shall rise brilliant over this most
unhappy portion of the globe and its rays shall diffuse
everlasting joy among the confederated brethren of the same
rays, the lives of those who have gone before, the fatigues
and the well-paid sufferings will remain. If he who desires to
enter has informed himself of all this and believes he will be
able to perform what will be his duties, he may fill out the
application for admission
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 Analysis of the Kartilya ng
Katipunan
15

Chapter 2 Readings in Philippine History

 ANALYSIS OF THE KARTILYA NG KATIPUNAN

The document was written for a fraternity to overthrow colonial

regime. The fourth (4th) and thirteenth (13th) rules are an invocation
of equality between and among men regardless of race, occupation, or
status. This is a manifestation of the society during the Spanish time,
where Indios (Filipinos) are treated inferiorly and the white Europeans
as superior.

The document upheld consistency of rational and liberal ideas in the

18th and 19th century, equality, tolerance, freedom and liberty. Emilio
Jacinto as the author of the document was an illustrado who used pen
to spread liberal ideas. 16
Chapter 2 Readings in Philippine History
 ANALYSIS OF THE KARTILYA NG KATIPUNAN
It also emphasized the importance of honor in words and in action.
Honoring and respecting women but from the document itself
emphasized that men should be the guide of women and children as it
was stated in the 10th rule. This idea can be criticized but the context of
the document and organization was born during the patriarchal age,
were men are seen as the leaders and women are important partners in
the struggle during the Spanish era. This is shown by the women like
Melchora Aquino, Gregoria de Jesus and Teresa Magbanua.

The Kartilya is instructive not just to the Katipunan’s conduct toward

other people, but for the member’s development as an individual.
Chapter 2 Readings in Philippine History 17