of the Katipunan’s foundation. Bonifacio and his co-founders were also lett out. It can be argued thus, that the way of historical narration found in the document also reflects the polities of the victors. The enmity between Aguinaldo’s Magdalo and Bonifacio's Magdiwang in the Katipunan is no secret in the pages of our history. On the contrary, the war led by Aguinaldo’s men with the forces of the United States were discussed in detail. The point is, even official records and documents like the proclamation of independence, while truthful most of the time, still exude the politics and biases of whoever is in power. This manifests in the selectiveness of information that can be found in these records. It is the task of the historian thus, to analyze the content of these documents in relation to the dominant politics and the contexts of people and institutions surrounding it. This tells usa lesson on taking primary sources like official government records within the circumstance of this production. Studying one historical subject thus entails looking at multiple primary sources and pieces of historical evidences in order to have a more nuanced and contextual analysis of our past. A Glance at Selected Philippine Political Caricature in Alfred McCoy's Philippine Cartoons: Political Caricature of the American Er Era 1900-1941) Political cartoons and cari¢ature is a rather recent art form which veered away from the classical art by exaggerating human features and poking fun at its subjects. Such art genre and technique became a part of the print media as a form of social and political commentary, which usually targets persons of power and authority, Cartoons became an effective tool of publicizing opinions through heavy use of symbolism, which is different from a verbose written editorial and opinion pieces. The unique way that a caricature represents opinion and captures the audience's imagination is reason enough for historians to examine these political cartoons. Comment: '3in mass media inevitably shape public opinion and such kind of opinion is worthy of historical examination. In his book Philippine Cartoons: Political Caricature of the American Era (1900-1941), Alfred McCoy, together with Alfredo Roces, compiled political cartoons published in newspaper dailies and periodicals in the aforementioned time period. For this part, we are going to look at selected cartoons and explain the context of each one. 28 Readings in Philippine History‘The first example shown above was published in The Independent on Mav 20, 1916. The cartoon shows a politician from Tondo, named Dr. Santos, passing his crown to his brother-in-law, Dr. Barcelona. A Filipina guy (as depicted wearing salaket and berong tagalog) was trying to stop Santos, telling the latter to stop giving Barcelona the crown because it is not his to begin with. The second cartoon was also published hy The Independent on 16 June 1917, This was drawn by Fernando Amorsolo and was aimed as a commentary to the workings of Manila Police at that period. Here we see a Filipino child who stole a skinny chicken because he had nothing to eat. The policeman was relentlessly pursuing the said child, A man wearing a salakot, labeled Juan de la Cruz was grabbing the officer, telling him to leave the small time pickpockets and thieves and to turn at the great thieves instead, He was pointing to huge warehouses containing bulks of rice, milk, and grocery products. Par againgt tie Spccutators eal Chapter 2 | Coiteit und Contextual Analysis of Selected Primary Sources in Philippine History 29The third cartoon was a commentary on the unprecedented cases colorum automobiles in the city streets. The Philippine Free Press publis! this commentary when fatal accidents involving colorum vehicles and occurred too often already. This fourth cartoon depicts a cinema. A blown up policeman was the screen saying that couples are not allowed to neck and make love the theater. Two youngsters looked horrified while an older couple see! amused, 30 Readings in Philippine History‘The next cartoon was published by The Independent on 27 November 1915. Here we sce the caricature of Uncle Sam riding a chariot pulled by Filipinos wearing school uniforms. The Filipino boys were carrying American objects like baseball bats, whiskey, and boxing gloves. McCoy, in his caption to the said cartoon, says that this cartoon was based gn an event in 1907 when William Howard Taft was brought to the Manila pier riding a chariot pulled by students of Liceo de Manila, Such was condemned by the nationalists at that time. The last cartoon was published by Lipang Kalabaw on 24 August 1907, In the picture we can see Uncle Sam rationing porridge to the politicians and members of the Progresista Party (sometimes known as the Federalista Party) while members of the Nacionalista Party look on and wait for their turn. This cartoon depicts the patronage of the US being coveted by politicians from either of the party. Chapter 2] Content and Contextual Analysis of Selected Primary Sources in Philippine History 31Analysis ofthe Political Caricatures daring the American Period The transition from the Spanish Colonial period to the America Occupation period demonstrated different strands of changes and shift in culture, society, and polities. The Americans drastically introduc democracy to the nascent nation and the consequences were far from ideal Aside from this, it was also during the American period that Filipinos we introduced to different manifestations of modernity like health care, mode! transportation, and media. This ushered in a more open and freer press, Th post-independence and the post Filipino-American period in the Philippin: were experienced differently by Filipinos coming from different clas Th upper principalia class experienced economic prosperity with the openin up of the Philippine econamy to the US but the majority of the poor Filipin remained poor, desperate, and victims of state repression The selected cartoons illustrate not just the opinion of certain medi outfits about the Philippine society during the American period but also paint a broad image of society and polities under the United States. In the arena Politics, for example, we see the price that Filipinos paid for the demoeraet modeled after the Americans. First, it seemed that the Filipino politici that time did not understand well enough the essence of de accompanying democratic institutions and processes. This can be seen witl the rising dynastic polities in Tondo as depicted in the cartoon published by The Independent. Patronage also became influential and powerful, not onl between clients and patrons but also between the newly formed politic parties composed of the elite and the United States, This was depicted it the cartoon where the US, represented by Uncle Sam, provided dole ou for members of the Federalista while the Nacionelista politici looked 0} and waited for their turn. Thus, the essence of competing political parties te enforce choices among the voters was cancelled out, The problem continue up to the present where politicians transfer from one pa to another depending on which party was powerful in specific periods of time. an The transition from a Catholic-centered, Spanish-Filipino society to a’ imperial American-nesimilated one, and its complications, were also depicte in the cartoons. One example is the unprecedented iner of motorizes vehicles in the city, Automobiles became a popul ade of transportatio: in the city and led to the emergence of taxis. However. the laws and policy implementation was mediocre. This resulted to the increasing colorum am unlicensed vehicles transporting people around the city. The rules governin, the issuance of driver's license was loose and traffic palice cannot be bothere by rampant violutions of traffic rules. This is a direct con sen eof (hi 32 Readings ia Philippine Historydrastic urbanization of the Philippine society, Another example is what McCoy called the “sexual revolution” that oceurred in the 1930s. Young people, as early as that period, disturbed the conservative Filipino mindset by engaging in daring and sexual activities in public spaces like cinemas. Here we can see how that period was the meeting point between the conservative past and the liberated future of the Philippines, Lastly, the cartoons algo illustrated the conditions of poor Filipinos in the Philippines now governed by the United States. From the looks of it, nothing much has changed. For example, a cartoon depicted how police authorities oppress petty Filipino criminals while turning a blind eye on hoarders who monopolize goods in their huge warehouses (presumably Chinese merchants). The other cartoon was depicting how Americans control Filipinos through seemingly harmless American objects. By controlling their consciousness and mentality, Americans got to control and subjugate Filipinos. Revisiting "Corazon Aquino’s Speech Before the US Congress” Corazon “Cory” Cojuangeo Aquino functioned as the symbol of the restoration of democracy and the overthrow of the Marcos Dictatorship in 1986, The EDSA People Power, which installed Cory Aquino in the presidency, put the Philippines in the international spotlight for overthrowing a dictator through peaceful means. Cory was easily a figure of the said revolution, as the widow of the slain Marcos oppositionist and former Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. Cory was hoisted as the antithesis of the dictator. Her image as a mourning, widowed housewife who has always been in the shadow of her husband and relatives and had no experience in politics was juxtaposed against Marcos’ statesmanship, eloquence, charisma, and cunning political skills. Nevertheless, Cory was able to capture the imagination of the people whose rights and freedom had long been compromised throughout the Marcos regime. This is despite the fact that Cory came from a rich haciendero family in Tarlac and has owned vast estates of sugar plantation and whose relatives occupy local and national government positions. On 18 September 1986, seven months since Cory became president, she went to the United States and spoke before the joint session of the US Congress, Cory was welcomed with long applause as she took the podium and addressed the United States about her presidency and the challenges faced by the new republic. She began her speech with the story of her leaving the United States three years prior as a newly widowed wife of Ninoy Aquino, Chapter 2 | Content and Contextoal Analysis of Selected Primary Sources in Philippine History 3