1.

Describe the Philippines during the pre-Spanish period in terms of the following:

a) Government

In the Philippines, Spain built a centralized colonial administration consisting of a

national government and local governments that governed provinces, cities, towns, and
municipalities. Prior to the arrival of the Spaniards, the Philippines consisted of towns or villages
known as barangays, which were named after the Malayan term barangay, which means "boat."
Because it held the four key characteristics of statehood, every barrio was effectively a state.
Occasionally, though, some barangays formed "confederations" for the sake of collective defense
against common invaders. In certain locations, a chief was known as a datu, while in others, he
was known as a rajah, sultan, or hadji. He served as the country's leading executive, lawmaker,
chief judge, and military commander. However, he was generally aided in the discharge of his
duties by a council of elders (maginoos), who also acted as his marketers. In its most basic form,
the barangay was a monarchy based on money and physical prowess. The residents of the
barangay were separated into four classes: the aristocracy (maharlika), the freemen (timawa), the
serfs (aliping namamhay), and the slaves (aliping namamhay) (aliping sagigilid). Written and
unwritten rules existed among the early Filipinos. The datus was the one who enacted the written
laws. The “Maragtas Code,” written around 1250 A.D. by Datu Sumakwel of Panay, and the
Kalantiaw Code, written in 1433 A.D. by Datu Kalantiaw, also of Panay, are the two known
written codes from the pre-Spanish era. The barangay's laws were generally considered to be fair.
Although flawed, the government system was not horrible in comparison to the situations in
other countries during the period in which it flourished.

b) Religion

Islam had been introduced to the Philippines in the late 14th century through trade with
merchants from Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Middle East, prior to the entrance of Catholic
missionaries and explorers from Spain. The voyages of Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan
(1480-1521) later in the 16th century were the first to bring Catholicism to the archipelago,
which was originally named St. Lazarus' Islands by Spanish explorer Ruy López de Villalobos
(1500? – 1544), but later changed to its current name in honor of Philip II of Spain, who reigned
from 1556 to 1598. After months of travelling through what is now known as the Strait of
Magellan in the southern section of Chile and Argentina, Magellan arrived on Homonhon Island
on March 17, 1521, claiming territory in the name of Spain. Magellan and his crew made their
first encounter with the people of Homonhon, who provided them supplies to help them restore
their vigor. This rekindled their ambition to continue westward to the Spice Islands, an
Indonesian archipelago in the Banda Sea where cloves, nutmeg, and cloves originated. Magellan
arrived in Limasawa, an island west of Homonhon Island, on Easter Sunday in March 1521,
where his missionaries celebrated the first mass on Philippine territory. Rajah Colambu, king of
Limasawa, and Rajah Siagu, ruler of Butuan in Northern Mindanao, were among those who
attended the mass. Both rajahs kissed the cross and prayed with the crew, becoming the first
Filipinos to come into contact with Christianity. Magellan and his men then chose to sail to Cebu
in order to convert more Filipinos to Christianity.
    c) Clothing

For three centuries, the Philippines were ruled by the Spanish. As a result, they had a
significant impact on Philippine culture and attire. Naturally, the country has absorbed many
Spanish influences. The Filipino way of life changed and evolved during the course of 300 years
under Spanish rule. Prior to the arrival of the Spaniards, the sixteenth-century Filipino apparel
style was primarily plain yet useful. Baro and saya were the traditional clothes. The top (blouse)
is the baro, and the bottom (skirt) is the saya. To separate themselves from the ruling elite, the
Spaniards made the native Filipinos, known as indios (Indians), wear their barongs untucked.
When Indians wore baros, it was easy to tell whether or not they were carrying a weapon, which
was an advantage for the Spanish. The baro became the barong tagalog, also known as just
barong or just baro. It evolved into a formal shirt, but only since the Philippines' independence in
the 1940s has it become the country's national clothing. The elite's attire was substantially more
formal in Spanish times. The barong is a light-weight shirt that is worn over an undershirt
untucked. During the pre-Spanish colonization period, the Filipino people wore simply collarless
shirts called "canga" and bottom coverings called "bahag." When the Spaniards arrived in the
country, however, the Filipino fashion sense was altered. The evolution of the "canga" resulted in
what is now known as the Barong Tagalog. The plain collarless shirt was embellished with lace,
trimmings, and adornments, as well as collars. Embroidery and buttons were also visible on the
"canga." The "bahag" was then replaced with a pair of trousers. The Barong Tagalog's female
counterpart, the Baro't Saya, wears a similar outfit. The designs and patterns of inticate stitching
show the Spanish influence on the Baro't Saya. During the 1500s to the 1800s, the Spanish
colonial era also introduced the usage of hats and shoes as fashion classics in the Filipino style.

d) Food and shelter

Food habits of the Philippines' indigenous peoples make up pre-colonial Philippine

cuisine. Varied groups of people on the islands had access to different crops and resources,
resulting in variations in cooking techniques. Mango, Pili Nuts, Coconut, Ginger, and other
native fruits, root crops, nuts, and vegetables were consumed on the islands. Meat and seafood
were consumed throughout the islands, whereas pork and shellfish were prohibited by certain
Muslim sects. “Rice is cooked there under the fire in bamboos or in wood; and it lasts better than
that cooked in earthen pots,” according to one report.

The Antillean style of architecture was brought by Spanish conquerors. This style of
architecture is European (albeit it originated in Central America rather than Spain) and was
modified to fit the tropical climate of the Philippines, giving it its own distinct Filipino character.
Aside from residences, Mother Spain left her mark on church architecture, which serves as a
symbol of the Philippines' greatest endowment, Catholicism. The most magnificent colonial
churches can still be found on the Visayan islands of Panay, Cebu, and Bohol, in the Ilocos
Regions, and in Southern Luzon, particularly in Laguna and Batangas. Based on the visible
components, architectural experts believe that the majority of colonial churches are Spanish or
Mexican baroque. It's also worth noting that the environmental conditions of the country, which
were frequently subjected to natural calamities (typhoons and earthquakes) as well as human
devastation (fire and attacks) at the period, impacted the construction of these churches. One
thing we must admire about these cathedrals is how they were built in Asian Moorish style and
with Asian Moorish components. It is not often recognized that Chinese and Muslim
architectural features were used into Catholic Church structures throughout the Spanish period.
This is owing to the fact that most Filipinos have no prior experience with stone construction.
Chinese and Muslim master builders and artisans from the South assisted in the construction of
the churches. The Chinese influence can be seen in the red air-dried bricks created from a
mixture of coral lime, loam, and sugar cane juice, as well as the granite lion sculptures in front of
San Agustin Church. Deeply etched relief carvings of church façade and interiors, on the other
hand, are reminiscent of Moorish and Islamic style.

e) Socialization and others

Filipinos can be classified into the following groups during pre-Hispanic times: The
Maginoo is the noble class; the Timawa is the freeman class; the Maharlika is the warrior class;
and the Alipin is the indentured class. The ruling class, the educated class, the royal class, and
the privileged class were all members of the Maginoo. This was the class from which the Datu
would emerge. The Datu is the chief of a barangay, which is a small community. He is a chieftan
who is similar to a Monarch, Rajah, Sultan, or King in some ways. It's unclear whether the Datu
post was hereditary, based on the lineage of the eldest child, particularly the eldest son of the
Datu, or if the Maginoo class chose a Datu. It's possible that the practice differed from place to
place in the Philippines. It's important to remember that lowland Filipinos arrived in balangays,
or sailboats. These early groups would establish themselves around the seashore or riverbanks,
and their newfound settlement would be known as a barrio. A barangay's size varies, but it's
normally between 50 and 100 families, 30 to 100 dwellings, or 100 to 500 people. The Maginoo
class, who wanted to establish a new barrio for themselves, most likely led these migrations. The
Timawa, a freeman class, undoubtedly made up the majority of the barangay population.