Philippine History Notes

Development of Filipino culture occurred in several stages before Spanish colonization.

Early Filipinos crafted stone tools for various purposes:
- Cobble Tools: Used for breaking animal skulls.
- Smaller Flake Tools: Employed for scraping meat from animal bones.
- Flake Tools: Utilized by the Tabon Men for food gathering and hunting.

Introduction of pottery which facilitated:
- Food and water storage.
- Cooking and rituals.
- Aesthetic expression in burial practices.
Burial Jars: Significant form of pottery, indicating beliefs in the afterlife. Found in regions like Cagayan Valley, Palawan, and coastal areas.

Introduction of various metals improved societal functions:
- Notable items like Brass Needles found in Northern Luzon (circa 2000 B.C.) were earliest proof of metalwork.
- Advancements in agriculture, hunting, fishing, and construction.

Arabs were the first traders with local Filipinos.
Significant Chinese influence noted from the 13th century, trading pottery for ceramics.
Emergence of large communities and advanced political structures, particularly in Cebu, Manila, and Iloilo.

Barangay: Basic social unit, originating from the term for a boat, typically consisting of around 30 households.
Datu: Chief of barangay with multi-faceted roles:
Administrative leader.
Legislator and judge in peacetime.
Warrior commander during conflicts.
Position often hereditary but required demonstrated skills.

Maharlika: Members of the datu’s household involved in community welfare activities.
Timawa: Free people engaged in various occupations.
Alipin: Dependents serving families, categorized into:
Namamahay: Could own property and marry without master’s permission.
Saguiguilid: Had no property and required master’s permission for marriage, could be sold.
Alipin roles included supporting agricultural production while others focused on farming.

Laws were crucial for societal order:
Transmitted orally and later written by datus with counsel from elders (maginoos).
Two types of laws:
- Oral Laws: Based on customs.
- Written Laws: Announced by town-crier (umalahokan).

Conflicts were settled publicly, with trials observing both parties plead their cases:
Witnesses swore oaths to tell the truth; consequences for false testimony included superstition-based penalties.
Trial by Ordeal: Used when guilt was difficult to establish, including various methods:
River Ordeal: Suspects submerged in the river, with those who floated deemed guilty.
Boiling Water Ordeal: Suspects had to dip their hands in boiling water; refusal indicated guilt.
Candle Ordeal: Whose candle extinguished first was guilty.
Chewing Rice Ordeal: Saliva thickness determined guilt.

Food and Agriculture: Introduction of farming methods, staple crops such as rice, and development of rice terraces.
Crafts and Industries: Advanced skills in pottery, weaving, and wood carving, including boat building.

Music and Arts (500 A.D.): Developed musical instruments and created songs for various life events.
Marriage and Divorce Practices: Marriages required a dowry (bigay kaya); divorce permissible for reasons such as cruelty, infidelity, insanity, etc.

Contacts with Hindus, Chinese, and Japanese:
Shared languages and cultural exchanges.
Trade established with early contact from various groups (Indochina, Sumatra, etc.).
Islam Introduction:
Arab merchants influenced Sulu and Maguindanao, promoting Islam prior to Spanish colonization, starting with figures like Rajah Baginda from Sumatra.