GEC002- Readings in Philippine History

MODULE 1: Meaning and Relevance of History

What is History?

Non-Historians	Historians
Non-Historians Non-historians often say that “history repeats itself” or that “things were always this way.”	History is the study of change over time, and it covers all aspects of human society.
Non-historians often romanticize the past and speak of the “good old days” when they believe that things were generally better than at present.	History is exclusively as a story of progress with everything constantly improving.
Non-historians derive information mainly from television, movies, and the internet as well as some books or magazines. They generally accept any sources uncritically as long as the source is interesting.	Historians know that all sources, even those original to a particular historical time period, have some biases, omissions, contradictions, or various other limitations.
Non-historians read books or watch documentaries of their choice.	Historians read books or watch documentaries go to archives in search of original records.
Non-historians assume that historians have always approached history the same way.	Historians know that the philosophy and methodology of history have changed over time and will keep changing.
Non-historians often make broad generalizations about people, ideas, events, or time periods in history.	Historians tend to focus more on the specific, detailed developments that underpin the generalizations, and sometimes question or reject the generalizations themselves.
Non-historians may assume that time periods are fixed and absolute. Historians	Historians have various ways of organizing history thematically and chronologically.

Came from the Greek word “Historia” meaning knowledge acquired through investigation.
Historia- account of the past of a person or a group of people through written records and evidences.
Study of the past (Events occurring before the writing systems are considered prehistory).

Historians

Scholars who focus on history.
Role is to place the past into context, using sources from moments and events, and filling in the gaps to the best of their ability.
Write about the lives of important people.
Also focused on writing about wars, revolutions, and other important breakthroughs.

AS AN ACADEMIC DISCIPLINE

Uses narrative to describe and analyze a sequence of past events, and patterns of cause and effect that are related.
The modern study of history is wide-ranging and includes the study of specific regions, and certain topical or thematic elements of historical investigation.
Progressed and opened up the possibility of VALID HISTORICAL SOURCES.
- Giving Premium to written documents invalidates the history of other civilizations that do not keep written records.

Other Kinds of Historical Sources

Material Objects, Oral accounts, Ecological markers, art, and artifacts.

Herodotus

5th Century Greek Historian considered to be either the “Father of History” or: “Father of Lies”.
Was Culture Focused.

Thucydides

Helped the foundations of modern study of human history.
Military Focused.

HISTORY IS AND SHOULD BE A SCIENCE

History is not the accumulation of events of every kind which happened in the past. It is the science of human societies.
Historians try to understand their topics in the context of why and how people of that era thought and behaved as opposed to today.

History vs Historiography
History

Object of Study is the past, the events that happened in the past and causes of such events.

Historiography

Object of study is History itself, it studies history, philosophy, and methodology of history.

“A Filipino Society with citizens informed of their history, who love their country and are proud of their cultural heritage.”
-National Historical Commission of the Philippines Institute

IMPORTANCE OF HISTORY

Helps us understand people and societies.
Helps us understand change and how our current society came to be.
Important in our lives.
Contributes to Moral Understanding.
Provides Identity.
Essential for Good Citizenship.
Develops the ability to assess evidence.
Develops the ability to assess conflicting interpretations.
Useful in career and in the World of Work.

Historical Sources

Any leftover/tangible remains of the past.
Object of the past or testimony concerning the past on which historians depend in order to create their own depiction of the past.
Primary/ Secondary Sources

Primary Sources

Produced at the same time as the event, period, or subject being studied (direct accounts).
Characterized by their content, regardless of whether they are available in original format, in microfilm, in digital format, or in published format.
Five Categories
- Written- Travelogue, Newspaper, Memoir, Archival Material.
- Numerical Record- Graphs
- Oral Statement- Interview of an eyewitness
- Relics- Artifacts, Ruins, Fossil
- Images- Photograph, painting, Caricature, Map

Secondary Sources

Produced by an author who used primary sources to produce the material or information for persons who didn’t witness the event.
The testimony of anyone who is not an eyewitness.
May have pictures, votes, or graphics of primary sources in them.
History Textbook, Printed Materials, Biographies
- Teodoro Agoncillo’s Revolt of the Masses: The Story of Bonifacio and the Katipunan, Published in 1956

CRITICISM OF HISTORICAL SOURCES

Thucydides “Father of Scientific History” due to his work on “The History of the Peloponnesian Wars”.
The historian should be able to conduct an external and internal criticism of the source, especially primary sources which can age in centuries.
Historical Criticism - evaluation of historical data and information.
Historical Evidence- reliable data yielded by the process
- Derived from historical data by the process of criticism which has two types; External and Internal.

External Criticism

Practice of verifying the authenticity of evidence by examining their physical characteristics; consistency with the historical characteristics of the time it was produced and materials used.
Quality of paper, type of ink, and language used in the material
1st Step Determine the date of the document to test for anachronism
2nd Step is to determine the author’s handwriting, signature, and seal.
3rd Step is by looking for the anachronistic style.
4th Step is the anachronistic reference to events.
5th Step is the provenance or custody of the document.
Anachronism means out of time or order, something that could not have been there at that particular time.

Internal Criticism

Examines the truthfulness of the evidence.
Investigates the content or substance of a document, and the author’s point of view. Tests the credibility of the source.
1st Step is to identify the author, determine whether they are reliable.
2nd Step is to determine the approximate date.
3rd Step is testing the ability to tell the truth
4th Step is testing the willingness to tell the truth. If the witness is coerced, forced, or threatened then it is invalid.
5th Step is to look for Corroboration.

CRITERIA IN ANALYZING HISTORICAL SOURCES

Accuracy- accurate and verifiable
Authority- Credentials of the author
Objectivity- Check for biases and hidden motives
Currency- When was it produced
Coverage- Is it Free

HISTORICAL CONTEXT

Deals with the details that surround an occurrence.
Refers to the religious, economic, and political conditions that existed during a certain time and place.
“it’s all the details of the time and place in which a situation occurs, and those details are what enable us to interpret and analyze works or events of the past, or even the future, rather than merely judge them by contemporary standards.” (Fleming, 2019)

Importance of Context

Context is information that helps the message of a history text make sense. Whether its a novel, a memoir, or a collection of short stories, a piece of writing can be interpreted variably depending on the contextual factors of the author.

Positivism (18th Century- 19th Century)

Requires empirical and observable evidence
No document, No History
Requires historians to show written Primary Sources

Post-Colonialism (early 20th Century)

Formerly Colonized nations grappled with the idea of creating their own identities and understanding their society against the shadow of their colonizers.
Two things in writing history: History of their nation that highlights their identity free from their colonial discourse and knowledge, and to criticize the methods, effects, and ideas of colonialism
- A reaction and an alternative history to the colonial history that colonial powers created and taught to their subjects.

History & the Historian

Historians only get to access the representation of the past through historical sources and evidence.
Seek and interpret historical evidence and facts.
Give meaning to these facts and organize them into a timeline.

Historical Methodology

Comprised of certain techniques and rules that historians follow in order to properly utilize sources and historical evidence.

MODULE 2: ANALYSIS OF PRIMARY SOURCE (FIRST VOYAGE AROUND THE WORLD)

Contextualizing in History

Paying attention to the people who produced it
Time in which they worked, what was happening.
What possible influences could have led to the production
Understanding how the source’s language, concepts, and terms were used within the context.
Increases writer’s credibility as it demonstrates willingness to understand the source according to its context.

Questions to consider in doing a Historical Analysis

Who produced the source?
What is the genre of the source?
How might the genre affect the content and viewpoint?
When was it produced? How about the timing in relation to other events?
How about political, social, religious, or economic events that could have influenced the production?

Additional

Consider the impact of Colonialism
Identify the different perspectives on historical events
Be aware of your own biases

Examples

Philippine-American War
Japanese Occupation
Martial Law Era

Analyzing the Historical Context of Pigafetta’s Account of Magellan’s Arrival in the Philippines

Antonio Pigafetta

AKA Antonio Lombardo or Francisco Antonio Pigafetta
Venetian Scholar born around 1491 in Vincenza, Republic of Venice (Modern Day Italy) and died in 1531
Belonged to a rich family in Northeast Italy
Studied Astronomy, Geography, and Cartography
Italian explorer and scholar who became part of the expedition under the order of the King Charles I
Served as Ferdinand Magellan’s Assistant.
Kept a journal accounting his observations
One of the 18 men who completed the trip. Returning to Spain in 1522 under the command of Juan Sebastian Elcano

First Voyage Around the World

Written on board in one of the Five Ships that was sent to circumnavigate the world.
Trinidad (Ship of Magellan), Santiago, Victoria, Concepción, and San Antonio.
Pigafetta’s journal written during the voyage (1519-1522) became the basis for his 1525 travelogue, The First Voyage Around the World.
Officially published when he returned to Italy. Consists of 203 pages
This is about Magellan’s travels
It is the trail of the so-called Magellan route heading towards the Spice Islands, attempting to sail around the world and discovering possible routes.
Accurate Ethnographic and Geographical account of the circumnavigation
Described the people, countries, goods, and languages of the places they visited
Upon Arrival in Europe, he presented copies of his account to Pope Clement VII and Mother of King Francis I of France
The original journal was lost, and it was unknown what language was used
Account of the voyage written in 1522 and 1525 survives in FOUR manuscript versions: one in Italian, and three in French
One of the most important primary source

Why was it Written?

To discover, research, and achieve knowledge about nautical technology, cartography, and astronomy.
To record details and information during the expedition
Magellan wanted to prove that the world was round, and did. But also to find a Western Trade route to the Moluccas

A Brief Summary of the First Voyage of the World

Ladrones Islands “Islands of the Thieves”
-Presently called the “Mariana Islands”.
-Place where Pigafetta wrote his firsthand observations and impressions in the Far East, including experiences in modern-day Visayas.
-Located South-Southeast of Japan, West-Southwest of Hawaii, North of New Guinea, and East of the Philippines.
-Since the crew crossed the International Dateline, there is one day added to the original dates.

-There was a translator named Enrique, who was from Malacca and was a slave of Ferdinand Magellan

-On March 17, 1521 (originally March 16, 1521) they arrived in Zamal (Samar). The island was called Humunu (Homonhon) but the crew of Magellan called it “Aquada da li buoni Segnialli” meaning “The Watering-place of Good Signs” because of the two springs in the area that possessed “the clearest water”.

**-**On March 18, 1521, Precolonial Filipinos made first-contact with the Spaniards in Homonhon. Narrates how the Filipinos gave fish, wine, bananas, and coconuts in exchange for Magellan’s trinkets

-He met two Kings Rajah Siagu, and Rajah Calambu, King of Zuluan and Calagan (Butuan and Caragua)

-On April 1, 1521 (Originally March 31, 1521), Magellan ordered the chaplain to preside over a mass by the shore of Mazaua (Limasawa). After the Mass, Magellan ordered the cross to be brought with nails and a crown in place.

-On April 8, 1521, Magellan and his crew struggled when entering the port of Zubu (Cebu)

**-**On April 15, 1521, A mass was held with Rajah Humabon and his people attending the ceremony. Pigafetta showed the wife of Rajah Humabon a beautiful wooden Sto. Nino and Cross.

-As a sign of friendship, Magellan made a blood compact with Rajah Humabon, the King of Cebu

**-**On April 27, 1521, The chief of Mactan Lapu-Lapu refused to obey the King of Spain.

-When Rajah Humabon ordered Lapu-Lapu to return the bodies of Magellan and his fallen crew Lapu-Lapu refused.

-Magellan was succeded by Juan Sebastian Elcano as commander of the expedition, who ordered immediate departure after Humabon’s betrayal.
-Humabon’s betrayal was instigated by Enrique who was dissatisfied with his Spaniards.

Let us analyze and contextualize Pigafetta’s Account of Magellan’s arrival in the Philippines.

It was published in 1535, during a time in which Europe, known as the Old World, was actively seeking lands motivated by the Three Gs: Gold, Glory, and God.
Pigafetta’s description of the Pre-colonial Filipinos was laced with biases coming from his own culture.
Magellan called the natives who refused to convert as “Heathens” since he was a Catholic and believed that other religions practices were uncivilized.
The reason why our ancestors were welcoming to the Spaniards is because International Trade was already a custom between the islands during the time.

DATES TO BE REMEMBERED:

August 10, 1519- START OF VOYAGE (Magellan)
March 17, 1521- ARRIVAL OF MAGELLAN IN THE PHILIPPINES
March 18, 1521- FIRST CONTACT OF FILIPINOS AND SPANIARDS
April 1, 1521- FIRST MASS IN LIMASAWA
**April 27, 1522-**DEATH OF MAGELLAN
September 6, 1522 END OF VOYAGE (Elcano)

Relevance of the Document

Used as a reference in many history books
Served as evidence of a round Earth
Magellan discovered the Mar Pacifico “Peaceful Sea” (Pacific Ocean)
Proved there’s a way to the East by sailing West

Contribution to the Philippine History

Paints an accurate picture of of Precolonial Philippines
- How they lived
- Proof of governance and independence
- Religion
Showed how Filipinos coped and delayed the Spanish occupation

MODULE 3:ANALYSIS OF PRIMARY SOURCE (KATIPUNAN AT ANG KARTILYA NG KATIPUNAN)

-Before KKK the Revolutionary Society was “La Liga Filipinas”

-A week before Rizal’s execution, Bonifacio visited him to inform and ask for his opinion on the formation of Katipunan, Rizal was against it.

-After Rizal’s death, Andres Bonifacio founded the Secret Revolutionary Society KKK on July 6, 1892, in Tondo, Manila for Filipinos to fight for freedom.

-Katipunan comes from a tagalog rootword “tipon”.

Kataas-taasan Kagalang-galangan Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan

(Highest and Most Honorable Society of the children of the Nation)

To unite Filipinos into one solid nation
To fight for Philippine independence from Spain

The Katipunan Movement
Divided into:

Magdalo- Baldomero Aguinaldo
Magdiwang- Andres Bonifacio

In 1896 had 20,000 members
Famous Katipuneros include Bonifacio, Arellano, Emilio Jacinto (Brains of the Katipunan), Dr. Pio Valenzuela, Valentin Diaz.
Women joined the Katipunan and served as guards of the documents of the society.
SECRET INITIATION OF THE KATIPUNAN- Candidate for membership was blindfolded and entered a secret room. They had to pass tests and a blood compact afterwards

Why is Katipunan arguably the most important organization formed in Philippine History?

Because it led to the creation of the Philippine Republic

Kartilya ng Katipunan

Written by Emilio Jacinto in 1896
Codified document listing the duties and responsibilities of every Katipunan member
Original Title “Manga Aral Nang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan (Lessons of the Organization of the Sons of the Country)”
Chosen by Bonifacio instead of h is “Katungkulang Gagawin ng mga Z.L1.B (Dekalogo)

Kartilya ng Katipunan

The Katipunan’s code of conduct
Contained 14 rules that instruct the way a Katipunero should behave, and which specific values should be upheld
First group- Rules that will make the member an upright individual
Second group- Rules that will guide the way he treats his fellow men

Analysis of the Kartilya ng Katipunan

Racism
Inequality
Feminism
The Kartilya was instructive to both Katipunero’s conduct towards others, but also for themselves

Proclamation of the Philippine Independence

DID YOU KNOW on June 12, 1898:

The Philippine Flag was not unfurled at a Balcony, but at a Window
The Flag wasn’t waved by Emilio Aguinaldo but rather by Ambrosio Rianzares Bautista
It was done on Emilio Aguinaldo’s Bahay-na-bato.
The Philippine Flag was FIRST unfurled at the Teatro Caviteno in Cavite Nuevo (Modern-day Cavite City) on May 28, 1898.
On June 12, 1898, The Philippine Declaration of Independence was proclaimed in Cavite el Viejo (Kawit, Cavite) by Filipino revolutionary forces under the command of General Emilio Aguinaldo
Proclaimed sovereignty and independence of the Philippines from the colonial rule of Spain
Proclaimed between four and five in the afternoon (4-5 P.M.) in Cavite at the ancestral home of Emilio Aguinaldo
Saw the unfurling of the National Flag of the Philippines made in Hong Kong by Marcela Agoncillo, Lorenza Agoncillo, and Delfina Herboza
Performance of the Marcha Filipina Magdalo, as the National Anthem, now known as Lupang Hinirang, which was composed by Julian Felipe and played in San Francisco de Malabon Marching Band
The Act of the Declaration of Independence was prepared, written, and read by Ambrosio Rianzares Bautista in Spanish
The declaration was signed by 97 Filipinos and an official, Col. M.L. Johnson.
It was not recognized by the U.S. or Spain, the Philippines was sold by Spain in the 1898 Treaty of Paris, which ended the Spanish-American war
When Emilio Aguinaldo was capture by U.S. forces, and issued a statement acknowledging and accepting the sovereignty of the United States over the Philippines, Following World War 2, the U.S. granted independence on July 4, 1946
In 1964, President Diosdado Macapagal signed into Republic Act No. 4166, designating June 12 as the country’s independence day.

What is in the document?

The Kind of government that was created under Aguinaldo
A short 2000-word document
Summarized the reason behind the revolution against Spain, the war of independence, and the Future of the new Republic
Brief historical overview of the Spanish Occupation
Mentioned Rizal’s Execution
Narrated the Cavite Mutiny of January 1872 (GOMBURZA)

Analysis of the Proclamation of the Philippine Independence

Friar Abuse
Land and Agrarian Crisis
KKK was only mentioned once and no mention to Andres Bonifacio
The historical foundation also reflects the politics of the victors

Philippine Flag

White Triangle- Emblem of the KKK
Three Stars- Luzon, Mindanao, Panay
The sun- Gigantic strides that have been made the sons of this land on the road of progress
Eight rays- 8 Provinces that first declared in a state of war (Manila, Bulacan, Pampanga, Cavite, Batangas, Laguna, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija)
Red, white, and blue- commemorate the flag of the USA

Can you say that the Philippines was already independent by the time it was declared by Aguinaldo?

No, because we have to remember that the USA was coming into play and thus the Spanish-American War. The Philippine revolution may have been able to take back most of the land, it was never fully taken back. With the treaty of paris Spain gave the reins to the US for 20 million dollars.

Why do the colors of the Flag invert in times of war?
By Executive Order no 321 in 1950 by Elpidio Quirino.it tackles the Philippine Flag and National Anthem. The 4th statement for the National Flag, “if flown from a flagpole, should have its blue field on top in times of peace, and the red field on top in times of war; if in a hanging position, the blue field should be to the right (left of the observer) in times of peace, and the red field to the right (left of observer) in times of war.

Reuven Notes

Explorer

GEC 002 NOTES