Foundations of Philippine History Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering pre-colonial Philippine social organization, primary historical sources, source analysis methods, and early cultural achievements.

Philippine History

The recorded events that shaped the country from pre-colonial times to the present.

Primary Sources

First-hand accounts from the past, including letters, diaries, official documents, photographs, artifacts, and newspaper articles, that help historians interpret events correctly.

Laguna Copperplate Inscription (LCI)

The oldest known written document in the Philippines, dating back to 900 CE and found in 1989. Written on a copper sheet in Kawi script, it records the debt forgiveness of Namwaran of Tondo and mentions places like Tondo, Dewata, and Medang.

Boxer Codex

A 16th-century manuscript created around 1590 featuring over 75 illustrations and written descriptions of Filipino and Southeast Asian cultures, clothing, weapons, and social hierarchies.

Doctrina Christiana

The first book ever printed in the Philippines (1593), produced using wooden blocks. It offered Catholic teachings, such as the Ten Commandments, Lord's Prayer (Ama Namin), and Hail Mary (Aba Ginoo Maria), in both Spanish and Baybayin script.

C-R-I-S-P

A framework for analyzing primary sources that stands for: Check the Source, Recognize the Audience, Investigate the Content, Situate in History, and Point out the Significance.

Barangay

Small independent settlements in the pre-colonial Philippines led by a datu, which served as the primary unit of social and political organization.

Maginoo

The highest social class (ruling class) in the pre-colonial Philippines, including datus, rajahs, sultans, and their families, who held political, economic, and military power.

Principalia

The local elite class under Spanish colonial rule, which was joined by members of the pre-colonial Maginoo and some Timawa.

Timawa

Free commoners in the pre-colonial Philippines ranked below the Maginoo and above the Alipin, who could own land, run businesses, share war spoils, and serve as warriors, farmers, fishermen, and traders.

Alipin

The lowest social class in the pre-colonial Philippines, composed of debt-bonded workers who possessed opportunities to earn money, buy freedom, and move up socially.

Aliping Namamahay

A type of Alipin who lived independently, worked for masters, and could not be sold.

Aliping Sagigilid

A type of Alipin who lived directly with their masters and had fewer rights, often due to debt, punishment, or war.

Animism

The pre-colonial religious practice of believing in nature spirits and ancestral worship, fostering a close relationship with nature.

Babaylan

Pre-colonial shamans, healers, advisers, and cultural custodians who conducted rituals, healing ceremonies, and collective decision-making within the community.

Sultanate

An organized political structure introduced in Mindanao following the arrival of Islam in the 14th Century, bringing formal legal and governance systems.

Balangay (Butuan Boat)

An ancient Filipino vessel made of hardwood and wooden pegs capable of carrying up to 50 people. Discovered in Butuan in 1976, it was used by the Rajahnate of Butuan for trade with China by 1001 CE.

Maritime Jade Road

An ancient 3,000-year trade network connecting the Philippines, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia from 2000 BCE to 1000 CE, primarily involved in trading jade items from Taiwan.

Baybayin Script

An ancient Filipino alphasyllabary writing system with 17 characters (14 consonants and 3 vowels) that evolved from the Kawi script and was used before and during early Spanish colonization.