G.E. Reading in Philippine History

1. CHAPTER 2:
Content and Contextual
Analysis of Selected
Primary Sources in
Philippine History
Reading in Philippine History
Prof. Penn T. Larena,KCR,MPA

2. Learning Objectives:
• To familiarize oneself with the primary documents in
different historical periods of the Philippines.
• To learn history through primary sources.
• To properly interpret primary sources through examining
the contact and context of the document.
• To understand the context behind each selected
document.

3. The historian’s primary tool of understanding and interpreting the
past is the historical sources. Historical sources ascertain historical facts.
Such facts are then analyzed and interpreted by the historian to weave
historical narrative.
Using primary sources in historical research entails two kinds of
criticism. The first one is EXTERNAL CRITICISM and the second is
INTERNAL CRITICISM. EXTERNAL CRITICISM examines the authenticity of
the document or the evidence being used while INTERNAL CRITICISM
examines the truthfulness of the content of the evidence.

4. A Brief Summary of the First Voyage
Around the World by Magellan by Antonio
Pigafetta

5. Who is Antonio Pigafetta?
– Famous Italian traveller born in Vicenza around 1490 and died
in the same city in 1534, who is also known by the name of
Antonio Lombardo or Francisco Antonio Pigafetta. Initially
linked to the order of Rhodes, which was Knight, went to Spain
in 1519, accompanied by Monsignor Francisco Chiericato, and
was made available from Carlos V to promote the company
initiated by the Catholic Monarchs in the Atlantic. Soon he
became a great friendship with Magallanes, who accompanied,
together with Juan Sebastián Elcano, in the famous expedition
to the Moluccas begun in August of 1519 and finished in
September 1522.

6. Who is Antonio Pigafetta?
– He was wounded at the battle of the island of Cebu (Philippines) in
which Magellan found death. The output of Seville made it aboard of
the Trinity; the return, along with a handful of survivors (17 of the
239 who left this adventure), in victory, ship that entered in Sanlúcar
de Barrameda (Cádiz) on September 6, the designated year. In the
last years of his life, he traveled by land from France to finally return
to Italy in 1523. He wrote the relation of that trip, which was the first
around the world, Italian and with the title of Relazioni in lathe to
the primo viaggio di circumnavigazione. Notizia del Mondo Nuovo
with figure you dei paesi scoperti, which was published
posthumously, in 1536.

7. Who is Antonio Pigafetta?
– The account of Pigafetta is the single most important source about
the voyage of circumnavigation, despite its tendency to include
fabulous details. He took notes daily, as he mentioned when he
realizes his surprise at Spain and see that he had lost a day (due to its
driving direction). Includes descriptions of numerous animals,
including sharks, the Storm petrel (Hydrobates pelagicus), the pink
spoonbill (Ajaja ajaja) and the Phyllium orthoptera, an insect similar
to a sheet. Pigafetta captured a copy of the latter near Borneo and
kept it in a box, believing a moving blade who lived in the air. His
report is rich in ethnographic details. He practiced as an interpreter
and came to develop, at least in two Indonesian dialects.

8. Pigafetta’s work instantly became a classic that prominent literary men in the West
like WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE, MICHEL de MONTAIGNE, and GIAMBATTISTA VICO
referred to the book in their interpretation of the New World. Pigafetta’s
travelogue is one of the most important primary sources in the study of the
precolonial Philippines.

9. – In Pigafetta’s account, their fleet reached what he called
the LADRONES ISLANDS or the “Islands of the Thieves.”
He recounted:
“These people have no arms, but use sticks, which have a
fish bone at the end. They are poor, but ingenious, and
great thieves, and for the sake of that we call these three
islands the Ladrones Islands.”

10. The Ladrones
Islands

11. – The Ladrones Islands is presently known as the Marianas Islands.
Tendays after they have reached Ladrones Islands, Pigafetta
reported that they have what he called the Isle of Zamal, now
Samar but Magellan decided to land in another uninhabited island
for greater security where they could rest for a few days.
– On MARCH 18, nine men came to them and showed joy and
eagerness in seeing them. Magellan realized that the men were
reasonable and welcomed them with food, drinks and gifts.

12. – Pigafetta detailed in amazement and fascination the palm tree which bore fruits
called cochos and wine.
– He characterized the people as “very familiar and friendly” and willingly showed
them different islands and the names of these islands. The fleet went to
Humunu Island (Homonhon) and there they found what he referred to as the
“Watering Place of Good Signs.” for it is in this place that they found the first
signs of gold in the island. They named the island together with a nearby island
as the archipelago of St. Lazarus.

13. – On March 25th, Pigafetta recounted that they saw two balanghai (balangay), a
long boat full of people in Mazzava/Mazaus. The leader whom he reffered to
the king became closely bonded with Magellan as they both exchanged gifts to
one another.
– After a few days, Magellan was introduced to the king’s brother who was also a
king of another island where 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. This king was named Raia Calambu, king of Zuluan and Calagan
(Butuan and Caragua), and the first king was Raia Siagu.

14. – On March 31st (Easter Sunday), Magellan ordered the chaplain to preside a
Mass by the shore. The king heard about this plan and sent two dead pigs and
attended the Mass with the other king. Pigafetta then wrote:
“…when the offertory of the mass came, the 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.”
This was the first Mass in the Philippines, and the cross would be famed Magellan’s
Cross which is still preserved at present day. This was the same cross which
Magellan explained to the kings as a sign of his emperor who ordered him to plan
it in the places were he would reach and further explained that once other
Spaniards saw this cross, then they would know that they had been in this island
and would not cause them troubles.

15. – By April 7th, Magellan and his men reached the port of Zubu (Cebu) with the
help of Raia Calambu who offered to pilot them in going to the island. The kind
of Cebu demanded that they pay tribute as it was customary but Magellan
refused. By the next day, Magellan’s men and the king of Cebu, together with
other principal men of Cebu, met in an open space. There the king offered a bit
of his blood and demanded that Magellan do the same.
– On April 14, Magellan spoke to the kind and encouraged him to be a good
Christian by burning all of the idols and worship the cross instead. The king of
Cebu was then baptized as a Christian. After 8 days, all of the island’s inhabitant
were already baptized.

16. – When the queen came to the Mass one day, Magellan gave her an image of the
Infant Jesus made by Pigafetta himself.
– On 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 that he would be able to fight
the chief name Silapulapu (Lapulapu). Magellan offered 3 boats instead and went to
Mactan to fight the said chief.
– They numbered 49 in total and the islanders of Mactan were estimated to number
1,500. Magellan died in battle. He was pierced with a poison arrow in his right leg.
The king of Cebu who was baptized offered help but Magellan refused so that he
could see how they fought.
– The kind also offered the people of Mactan gifts of any value and amount in
exchange of Magellan’s body but the chief refused and wanted to keep Magellan’s
body as a memento of their victory.

17. – Magellan’s men then elected Duarte Barbosa as the new captian.
– Pigafetta also accounted how Magellan’s slave and interpreter named Henry
betrayed them and told the king of Cebu that they intended to leave as soon as
possible. Henry and the king of Cebu conspired and betrayed what was left of
Magellan’s men. The king invited these men to a gathering where he said he
would present the jewels that he would send for the King of Spain.

18. – Pigafetta was left on board the ship and was not able to join the 24 men who
went to the gathering because he was nursing his battle wounds.
– The natives had slain all the men except the interpreter and Juan Serrano who
shouted at the men on this ship to pay ransom so that he would be spared but
he was left on the island for they refused to go back to shore.
– The fleet abandoned Serrano and departed. They left Cebu and continued their
journey around the world.

19. The KKK and the
“Kartilya ng Katipunan”

21. The Kataastaasan, Kagalanggalangang Katipunan ng
mga Anak ng Bayan (KKK) or Katipunan is arguably
the most important organization formed in the
Philippine history.
The two principal aims of the KKK as gathered from
the writings of Bonifacio:
1. Unity of the filipino people

22. – Bonifacio came out after the failure of the
reform movement headed by Rizal and M. Del
Pilar. This paved way for a more radical and
more active lines. He formed the Katipunan, a
secret society which was founded at Tondo
Manila, in a house on Azcarraga Street then
numbered 314, on July 7, 1892, the same date
on which Rizal was decreed to be banished to
Dapitan.

23. – Rizal doubtless approved the first aim but refused
to accept the second and this was the reason that
he refused to go along with the “Katipuneros”
(soldiers’ of the Katipunan) and voluntarily
surrendered that leads him to prison and death.
– To achieve unity of the Filipinos, propaganda work
must be done and this was through massive
education and civic trainings of the Katipuneros. To
that end, Bonifacio prepared his now well-known
decalogue, and Jacinto his famous “Kartilya ng
Katipunan” (Primer of the Katipunan)

25. –These are the rules in Kartilya.
The Kartilya can be treated as the
Katipunan’s Code of conduct
which contains 14 rules that
instruct the way a Katipunero
should behave.

26. Below is a translated version of the
rules on Kartilya
1. The life that is not consecrated to a lofty and reasonable purpose is a
tree without a shade, if not a poisonous weed.
2. To do good for personal gain and not for its own sake is not virtue.
3. 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.
4. 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.

27. Below is a translated version of the
rules on Kartilya
5. The honorable man prefers honor to personal gain; the scoundrel, gain
to honor.
6. To the honorable man, his word is sacred.
7. Do not waste thy time: wealth can be recovered but not time lost.
8. Defend the oppressed and fight the oppressor before the law or in the
field.
9. The prudent man is sparing in words and faithful in keeping secrets.

28. Below is a translated version of the
rules on Kartilya
10. 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 guides
will also go there.
11. Thou must not look upon woman as a mere plaything, but as a faithful
companion who will share with thee the penalties of life; her (physical)
weakness will increase thy interest in her and she will remind thee of the
mother who bore thee and reared thee.
12. What thou dost not desire done unto thy wife, children, brothers and
sisters, that do not unto the wife, children, brothers and sisters of thy
neighbor.

29. Below is a translated version of the
rules on Kartilya
13. Man is not worth more because he is a king, because his
nose is aquiline, and his color white, not because he is a *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 does not 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.

30. Below is a translated version of the
rules on Kartilya
14. 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 (the katipunan) 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.

31. An Excerpt from the Second
Paragraph of the Kartilya which
states that
“The object pursued by this association is great and
precious: to unite in ideas and purposes all filipinos
by means of a strong oath and from union derive
force with which to tear the veil that obscures
intelligence and thus find the true path of reason and
light”
– The strong oath was documented and signed with the
signed with the blood of the “Katipuneros” (blood
(blood compact). They swore at the Katipunan creed;
Katipunan creed; to defend the oppressed, fight the
fight the oppressor even to the extent of supreme self-
supreme self- sacrifice.

32. An Excerpt from the Second
Paragraph of the Kartilya which
states that
– One of the most important Katipunan
documents was the Kartilya ng
Katipunan.
– The original title of the document was
“Manga (sic) Aral Nang (sic) Katipunan ng
mga A.N.B.”
Or “Lesson of the Organization of the
Sons of Country”.

33. Reading “The Proclamation of
the Philippine Independence”

35. – June 12, 1898 - The Philippine Declaration of
independence was proclaimed in Cavite el
Viejo (present day Kawit, Cavite)
– Filipino revolutionary forces under General
Emilio Aguinaldo proclaimed the sovereignty
and independence of the Philippine Islands
from the colonial rule of Spain.

36. – 1896 - the Philippine Revolution began.
Eventually, the Spanish signed an
agreement with the revolutionaries
– Emilio Aguinaldo went into exile in
Hongkong. At the outbreak of the
Spanish-American war.

37. – Commodore George Dewey
- sailed from Hong Kong to
Manila Bay leading a
squadron of U.S. Navy ships.
– May 1, 1898 - the United
States defeated the Spanish
in the Battle of Manila Bay.
– the U.S. Navy transported
Aguinaldo back to the
Philippines.

38. THE PROCLAMATION ON JUNE 12
Independence was proclaimed on June 12, 1898
between four and five in the afternoon in Cavite
at the ancestral home of General Emilio
Aguinaldo.
– The event saw the unfurling of the National
Flag of the Philippines, made in Hong Kong by
Marcela Agoncillo, Lorenza Agoncillo, and
Delfina Herboza.

39. THE PROCLAMATION ON JUNE 12
– and the performance of the Marcha Filipina
Magdalo, as the national anthem, now known as
Lupang Hinirang, which was composed by Julián
Felipe and played by the San Francisco de
Malabon marching band.
– The Act of the Declaration of Independence
was prepared, written, and read by Ambrosio
Rianzares Bautista in Spanish.

40. THE PROCLAMATION ON JUNE 12
– The Declaration was signed by ninety-eight people,
among them an American army officer who
witnessed the proclamation who attended the
proceedings, Mr. L. M. Johnson, a Coronel of
Artillery.
– The proclamation of Philippine independence was,
however, promulgated on 1 August, when many
towns had already been organized under the rules
laid down by the Dictatorial Government of General
Aguinaldo

41. THE PROCLAMATION ON JUNE 12
– The declaration was not recognized by the U.S.
nor Spain and Spain later sold the Philippines to
the United States in the 1898 Treaty of Paris
ended the Spanish-American War.
– Philippine-American War - The Philippine
Revolutionary Government did not recognize
the treaty or American sovereignty, and
subsequently fought and lost a conflict with
United States.

42. THE PROCLAMATION ON JUNE 12
– ended when Emilio Aguinaldo was captured by
U.S. forces, and issued a statement
acknowledging and accepting the sovereignty of
the United States over the Philippines.
– Following World War II, the US granted
independence to the Philippines on July 4, 1946
via the Treaty of Manila.

43. Treaty of Paris, (1898)

44. –1964 - President Diosdado
Macapagal signed into law
Republic Act No. 4166
designating June 12 as the
country's Independence
Day.

46. Thank you.
Fin.