History 100 - Readings in the Philippine History

Definition of HISTORY:
● Louis Gottschalk - history came from the Greek word “iotopia” meaning
learning.
● Greek Philosopher Aristotle - wasn’t able to distinguish its difference
from the word “scientia”.
● defined as a systematic account of a set of natural phenomena.
● Branch of knowledge dealing with past events having a continuous,
systematic narrative of past events as relating to a particular people,
country, period, person usually written as a chronological account.
● History repeats itself

WHY STUDY HISTORY:

● Helps to understand people and societies.
● Contributes to moral knowledge.
● Provides identity.
● Essential for good citizenship

SOURCES OF HISTORY:
1. Primary Sources
- provides and contains direct or firsthand evidence about an event, object,
person, or work of art.
- provides compelling and direct evidence of human activity.
- things that were created or in use during the period which is being studied.
- these sources are actual records that have survived from the past
EXAMPLES: Autobiography, Eyewitness Accounts, Diary, Fossils, Relics,
Letters, Memoirs, Photograph, Videos, Legal Documents, Ornaments,
Speeches
2. Secondary Sources
- created later or after the historical event which is being studied and provided
by the people who were not present on that event.
- describes, discuss, interpret, comment upon, analyze, evaluate, summarize,
and process primary source.
- usually created by historians and scholastic writers based on their
interpretations of the primary sources.
EXAMPLES: Biography, Encyclopedia, Textbooks, Thesis, Dissertation,
Movies, Dictionaries, Almanacs, News Articles, News Reports, Scholarly
Journals
 Authenticity of Documents
● Misleading documents are usually created because of the following reasons: a)
to bolster a false claim; b) to sale counterfeited documents; c) to promote
political propaganda; d) some documents were based on practical jokes

EXTERNAL CRITICISM INTERNAL CRITICISM

- identifying who composed - focuses on understanding

the historical material was the substance and message
produced, and establishing that the historical material
the material’s evidential wants to convey by
value examining how the author
framed the intent and
meaning of a composed
material.

- applies experimental science - includes looking at the

to certify the authenticity of apparent or possible motives
the material that holds the of the person providing the
data in which historical data.
information will be based.

- entails such physical and - indicates the accuracy and

technical test as dating of trustworthiness of the
paper where a document is materials to which historical
written on. data will be based.

- involves knowledge of when

certain things are possible or
impossible to exist.

Content and Contextual Analysis of Selected Primary Sources Guide

Questions (6 C’s):
1. Content - What is the main idea of the document?
2. Citation - Who was the author/creator?
3. Communication - What is the idea the author is trying to convey?
4. Context - What was happening when the document was written?
5. Connection - What is your newly acquired knowledge?
6. Conclusion - How did it contribute to history
Philippine History
Why do Filipinos have poor understanding in their past?
● Propagation of Christianity
● Early Filipinos prefer verbal communication
● Lack of interest in understanding culture
● Filipinos have different priorities
Origin of the Philippines
● Land Bridges Theory
- Philippines was believed to be part of Mainland Asia
- About 250,000 years ago, bodies of water surrounding the Philippines
were 156 feet lower than its present level
- The bridges were between Borneo connecting Palawan and Sulu,
Mindanao and Papua New Guinea, and between Taiwan and Batanes.
● Continental Drift Theory
- Alfred Wegene theorized, the earth’s current continents were part of a
super continent called “Pangaea”
- He theorized that if the continents were to be put together, it would
appear as one.
- Scientists believed that the Philippines was separated due to
geological changes.
● Plate Tectonics Theory
- Scientists believe that the outer shell of the earth is composed of thin
plates that move relatively to each other.
- Movements and collisions of the plates created the different present
landforms, including the Philippines.
● Volcanic Theory
- due to the eruptions, different lands were formed and emerged, thus
the establishment of the Philippine islands.
- the elevation of Baguio City and nearby mountain areas is the
evidence of this theory.

Origin of the Filipino Races

1. Wave Mitigation Theory

- Proves that the early settlers migrated from the different parts of the
world who populated the Philippines some thousand of years ago.
- Proves the diversity of cultures and traditions passed by our ancestors.
2. Legends
- The story of “Malakas at Maganda” or the story of “Adam and Eve”.
3. Creation Story
- Man is created in the image of God.
 4. Evolution Theory
- A theory by Charles Darwin
- Man came from the apes and evolved until it became a fully
developed man.

5. Tabon Woman
- Found in Palawan who was present earlier than the Negritos.
6. Callao Man
- Found in Cagayan, believed to be present as early as 50,000 years ago.

Ancient Times ( 200,000 B.C - 1,300 A.D)

1. Cavemen
- Java Man, Peking Man, and other Asian Homo Sapiens
- 250,000 years ago
- Lived by hunting and fishing
2. Negritos
- 25,000 years ago, first settlers
- Naked and were good at hunting, fishing, and food gathering.
- FEATURES: dark skin, thick lips, curly hair, 5ft in height, round eyes,
flat nose
3. Indonesians
- Skilled in seafaring, by boats
- Tools made out of stone and steel (more advanced)
- Materials made by brass; they wore clothing and other body
ornaments
- Painted their bodies
- 500 years ago
4. Malays
- More than 2,000 years ago
- Engaged in pottery, waving, jewelry making, and metal melting
- Introduced irrigation system (Agriculture)
- They lived in larger villages, had government, arts and sciences and
an advanced agriculture, mining and trading
- FEATURES: brown-skinned and of medium height, with straight
black hair, and flat nose

Early Shelter
- Communities before are mostly lived near bodies of water and were lined
along coastal areas or near rivers, bays, or lakes.
- REASONS:
● Food from water resources
● Water system for agriculture
● Means of transportation
● Strategic defense against enemies or wild animals
 1. Caves
- Early Filipinos believed caves were the safest place to settle
a. Cave Plains - inhabited for easier access to the fields
b. Coastal Caves - inhabited for easier access to fishing
2. Nipa Huts
- Made of Nipa Leaves, woods, and bamboo having a square shape and
about 1 meter above ground to protect themselves from wild animals,
shelter of their livestocks, protection against flood, and easier to
transfer their house from one place to another.
- Most common type of house early Filipinos used for shelters.
3. Tree Houses
- Safety from enemies and wild animals

4. Houses on stilts
- Houses near coastal areas which is connected by a pathway
- These type of shelter was commonly used by merchants in ancient
times

Early Clothing
MALE:
● Bahag - a strip of cloth wrapped around the waist and between the
legs
● Putong - cloth wrapped in the head
○ Red - killed a lot people in war
○ Weaved - killed people not less than 7
● Kangan - a sleeveless cloth
○ Red - Datu and Maharlika
○ Blue - average male
FEMALE:
● Baro - upper clothing
● Saya - lower covering of women

Livelihood
1. Agriculture - main source of living
a. Kaingin System - land was cleared by burning shrubs and bushes
b. Tillage System - land was plowed and harrowed, then followed by
planting
2. Industries
a. Fishing - most common industry
● Methods: use of nets, bow and arrow, lance or spear, the
wicker basket, hook and line, and fish poison
b. Mining - one important industry
● 1569, Miguel Lopez de Legazpi reported that there was more
or less gold in island
 c. Shipbuilding and Logging
● Birey - boats for 50 - 100 people
● Biroco - boats made for more than 100 people

d.
Barter System
-Exchange of Goods
-Borneo, Thailand, Cambodia, Sumatra, and India
-Main trade is silk while Filipinos trade their own goods such as
jewelries
3. Hunting and Gathering
- Men were trained to hunt animals for the tribe and women were taught
to gather vegetables and fruits and to to household chores
- Food was divided among the members of the tribe. The biggest part is
given to the leader and his family.
- Value sharing

Social Life
Datu / Rajah /
Sultan
T
Datu,
ribe leader and
the chieftain
I
n tagalog region,
Maharlika / Tumao he was known as
Lakan or Gat
S
erved as the
Timawa religious leader,
can declare war,
and make
Alipin / important tribal
decision-making
D
ayang-dayang /
Dian - Wife of
Datu
Maharlika /
Political System
1. Barangay
- Standard unit of government
- Consisted of 30-100 families
- Was ruled by chieftain
2. Trial by ordeal
- was an ancient judicial practice by which the guilt or innocence of the
accused was determined by subjecting them to a painful, or at least an
unpleasant, usually dangerous experience. The proof of innocence was
survival
3. Taxation
- the chieftain’s family, Maharlika, and Timawa were exempted from paying
taxes
- people pay taxes to the chieftain in exchange of protection they will receive
- non-payment of taxes was punishable
4. War Declaration
- before declaring war against other tribes, the datu and the katalonan were the
people making decisions.
System of Writing
- Baybayin
- Means “to spell”
- Taught to the children of the Datu and Maharlikas
- Most common system of writing widely used by tagalog
Burial Customs
1. Manunggul Jar
- Deceased are buried
- Two human figures that represent souls on a journey to the afterlife.
2. Hanging Corpse
- Practiced by the Manobos
- Wrappred the corpse in mat and bamboo slats to hang up on the tree
- About getting justice

3. Hanging Coffin
- Practiced in Sagada, Mt. Province
- Believed to bring the deceased closer to heaven
- To avoid wild animals
4. Tree Trunk Burial
- Practiced by the tagalogs
- A dying person chooses the tree beforehand when he/she becomes terminally
ill, the corpse is then entombed vertically inside the tree
5. Wrapped corpse Burial
- Practiced by the Apayao’s
- Wrap the deceased person in a mat and bury them
Survival Needs
a. Nipa palm and bamboo - building houses
b. Jar - storing foods to preserve it for a long time
c. Pot - cooking foods
d. Gold - trading
e. Stones (grounded and smoothened type) - carving woods
 f. Flake stones - cutting, slicing, and grafting
g. Leaves and bamboos - paper

Weapons
a. Balaraw - a dagger with a single-edged leaf shaped blade and a cross shaped hilt
b. Kampilan - long and straight with a single edge which widens to a dual point
c. Lantakas - small cannons