READINGS IN

PHILIPPINE HISTORY
Prepared by:

Ms. Zandra Mae Rufo

 ANALYZING PRIMARY
SOURCES IN PHILIPPINE Unit 2
HISTORY
 LESSON 5 Learning Objectives:

- Describe early Philippine society

EARLY and its beliefs, customs, and traditions
based on existing accounts and
PHILIPPINE primary sources;
- Locate the most important trade
SOCIETY AND centers and trading partners of early
Philippines;
THE FIRST - Assess the impact of the arrival of
SPANISH the Spaniards in the Philippines; and
- Critique the motives of Spain in
CONTACT deciding to colonize the Philippines.
THE LAGUNA
COPPERPLATE
INSCRIPTION
 THE LAGUNA COPPERPLATE INSCRIPTION
- Discovered near the Laguna de Bay.
- The oldest written source of Philippine History.

- Antoon Postma (Dutch Anthropologist):

Described the copper plate as “A crumpled, blackened, thin piece of

metal….20 by 30 cm plate of copper fully covered on one side with an
inscription (Hammered or impressed) in ten lines of finely written
characters. Except for a damaged upper left corner, the plate
appeared to be in perfect condition.”

Examined the authenticity of the LCI

 THE LAGUNA COPPERPLATE INSCRIPTION
CHARACTERS IN THE LCI RESEMBLED:

- Indonesian Indic Scripts

- Early Kawi Script / Java Script

LANGUAGE OF LCI:
- Indo-Malaysian Area (Old Malay)
- Old Tagalog
- Sanskrit/Old Javanese
 THE LAGUNA COPPERPLATE INSCRIPTION
Hector Santos (Independent Scholar):
- Used Indian and Indonesian ancient calendar.
- Exact date of the LCI: (21 April 900)
- Year written: (900 CE)
THE LAGUNA COPPERPLATE INSCRIPTION
 ANALYSIS OF THE INSCRIPTION
- The LCI is a “Semi-official certificate of acquittal of a debt”.
- The considerable amount in gold was unpaid but waived in the LCI, with other
officials as witnesses.
- LCI established that the Philippine Islands were thriving well into the age of
trade in South East Asia around the tenth century.

“Pailah” – old name for Pila, Laguna.

- One of the most important centers of trade and culture in the eleventh century.
 ANALYSIS OF THE INSCRIPTION
- The concept of hutang (debt) in the LCI measured by 865 grams of suwarna
(gold) is connected to early Philippine social structure.
- The LCI mentions distinguished names with their jurisdictions, implying that
there were existing political arrangements in the islands, centuries before the
arrival of the Spaniards.

Vocabulario de la Lengua Tagala (1613) – First dictionary of the Tagalog

Language
Hutang – “Borrowing in various degrees” with corresponding “rates of
interest”. Nonpayment will result into servitude (alipin), inherited by
debtor’s descendants.
 ASSIGNMENT:
Read the excerpt below from Fr. Francisco Colin’s Labor Evangelica (1663).
Why do you think that the LCI is the only pre-Spanish written source of
Philippine history so far? How important does that make the LCI?

- By pair
- Short Bond paper
- Arial 12
- 1.5 Spacing
- Justified
- Indicate your
fullname,
Year/course/section
, Date, and Subject
 ASSIGNMENT:
Criteria 5 3 1 0

Understanding of the Excerpt Demonstrates a thorough Shows a good understanding of Displays limited understanding of Fails to demonstrate any
understanding of the excerpt, the excerpt, but may lack some the excerpt, with significant gaps understanding of the excerpt.
including its context, main ideas, depth or overlook certain aspects. or misunderstandings evident.
and significance.

Analysis of the Significance of the Provides insightful analysis and Offers a reasonable analysis of Presents limited or superficial Fails to provide any analysis or
LCI reasoning as to why the LCI is the why the LCI is the only pre- analysis of why the LCI is the only reasoning regarding the
only pre-Spanish written source of Spanish written source, but may pre-Spanish written source, with significance of the LCI.
Philippine history, with clear and lack depth or clarity in reasoning. weak or unsupported arguments.
well-supported arguments.
Clarity and Organization Ideas are presented clearly, Ideas are generally clear and Ideas are somewhat unclear or Ideas are unclear, disorganized, or
logically, and cohesively, with organized, but may lack some disorganized, making it difficult to presented in a fragmented
smooth transitions between points. coherence or have minor issues follow the analysis. Transitions manner, hindering understanding.
with transitions. between points are weak or
absent.
Mechanics and Formatting Written in proper academic Mostly follows academic Contains several errors or Fails to adhere to academic
format, including correct font, formatting guidelines, but may inconsistencies in formatting, formatting guidelines, with
spacing, justification, and includes have minor errors or detracting from the numerous errors or omissions
all required information (fullname, inconsistencies in formatting. professionalism of the submission. present.
year/course/section, date,
subject).
CHAU JU-KUA’S
CHU FAN CHI
 CHAU JU-KUA’S CHU FAN CHI
Chu Fan Chi
- published in 1225.
- Briefly describes some of the Philippine Islands.
- Translation: “Records of Various Barbarous Nations”.
- Established the existence of trade between South
China and early Filipinos.

Chau Ju-Kua
- Chinese Nobleman and customs inspector in South
China.
- Compiler of knowledge and recollections of traders.
 CHAU JU-KUA’S CHU FAN CHI
Chu Fan Chi
- Referred to a country called “Ma-i” (Mindoro).
- The province was well-known to the Chinese traders
as a major anchorage in the Southeast Asia trade
route before the pre-Philippines period when
Chinese, Arab, and merchants traded with the
natives.
 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF MA-I IN CHU FAN CHI
- In the country of Ma-i, natives cover themselves
with a sheet of cotton cloth, hide their lower part of
the body with sarong.
- When Chinese merchantmen arrive at that port they
cast anchor at a place called “The place of
Mandarins”. That place serves them as a market, or
site where the products of their countries are
exchanged.
- In order to trade, the savage traders are assembled,
and have the goods carried in baskets, and although
the bearers are often unknown, none of the goods
are ever lost or stolen.
- San-su, or the "Three Islands" belong to Ma-i.
Consists of Kia-ma-yen, Pa-lau-yu, and Pa-ki-nung.
(Calamian, Palawan, and Busuanga).
 ANALYSIS OF CHU FAN CHI
- Chinese traders’ direct references to Philippine
Islands appear between the 13th and 15th centuries.
- “Huang Chao Massacre”, 878 CE at the port of
Canton. A significant event that created a shift of the
trade route from mainland roads to maritime routes,
inevitably bringing into the fold more islands along
the way, the Philippines included.
- Trading start the adoption of some foreign
influences.
Barter System
- Long before the Spaniards came to the
Philippines, trade among the early Filipinos and
with traders from the neighboring lands like China,
Java, Borneo, and Thailand was conducted through
barter.
- To trade goods or services in exchange for other
goods or services.
ANTONIO PIGAFETTA’S
FIRST VOYAGE AROUND
THE WORLD BY
MAGELLAN
 ANTONIO PIGAFETTA
- Antonio Pigafetta, a writer and adventurer, set sail
on Sep. 20, 1519, on board the Trinidad, on what
would turn out to be the first circumnavigation of the
globe.
- The captain of the Trinidad was Fernão de
Magalhães, a Portuguese navigator known to
English speakers as Ferdinand
Magellan. Although Portuguese, Magellan was
sailing under the flag and patronage of the King of
Spain.
- The purpose was to find a new western route to the
Spice Islands. Pigafetta intended to write and
publish an account of his adventures.
 FERDINAND MAGELLAN
- Ferdinand Magellan was a Portuguese navigator and
explorer who sailed under the flags of
both Portugal (1505–13) and Spain (1519–21).
- From Spain, he sailed around South America,
discovering the Strait of Magellan, and across the
Pacific. Though he was killed in the Philippines, one
of his ships continued westward to Spain,
accomplishing the first circumnavigation of Earth.
- The voyage was successfully terminated by
navigator Juan Sebastián Elcano.
 ANTONIO PIGAFETTA’S
FIRST VOYAGE AROUND THE WORLD BY MAGELLAN
- Written on board one of the 5 ships that
was first to circumnavigate the world
during an expedition.
- Led by explorer, Ferdinand Magellan,
then by Juan Sebastian Elcano after
Magellan’s death.
- Began in August 1519 and ended in
September 1522.
 ANTONIO PIGAFETTA’S
FIRST VOYAGE AROUND THE WORLD BY MAGELLAN
Name of the Spanish Fleet: Armada de Molucca
- Provided by King Charles V
- 5 ships

TRINIDAD CREW: 55 Ferdinand

Magellan
SAN ANTONIO CREW: 60 Juan de
Cartageña
CONCEPTION CREW: 45 Gaspar de
Quesada
SANTIAGO CREW: 32 Juan Rodriguez
Serrano
VICTORIA CREW: 43 Luis de Mendoza
 ANTONIO PIGAFETTA’S
FIRST VOYAGE AROUND THE WORLD BY MAGELLAN

RECAP OF MAGELLAN AND THE FIRST VOYAGE AROUND THE WORLD

VIDEO PRESENTATION:
 ANTONIO PIGAFETTA’S
FIRST VOYAGE AROUND THE WORLD BY MAGELLAN
FEW REMINDERS:
- Since Magellan and his crew crossed the International
Dateline, there is one day added to the original dates that
Antonio Pigafetta wrote in his book for the better
perspective of Filipinos.
- Translator: Enrique de Malacca. He was from Sumatra
(Indonesia). Magellan acquired Enrique as a slave at
Malacca.
 ANTONIO PIGAFETTA’S
FIRST VOYAGE AROUND THE WORLD BY MAGELLAN
 ANTONIO PIGAFETTA’S
FIRST VOYAGE AROUND THE WORLD BY MAGELLAN
 ANTONIO PIGAFETTA’S
FIRST VOYAGE AROUND THE WORLD BY MAGELLAN
 ANTONIO PIGAFETTA’S
FIRST VOYAGE AROUND THE WORLD BY MAGELLAN
 ANTONIO PIGAFETTA’S
FIRST VOYAGE AROUND THE WORLD BY MAGELLAN
 ANTONIO PIGAFETTA’S
FIRST VOYAGE AROUND THE WORLD BY MAGELLAN
DATES TO REMEMBER:

March 16, 1521

- Arrival at Isle of Zamal (Samar)

March 18, 1521

- 9 men saw and welcomed Magellan’s fleet by serving them food, drinks, and gifts.

March 21, 1521

- The first mass in the Philippines was held in Mazaua (Limawasa)

April 27, 1521

- Battle of Mactan