HIS 007 – LIFE AND WORKS OF RIZAL
of people:
P1 COVERAGE
Session 2
PRE-COLONIAL PHILIPPINES
o Before the arrival of the Spaniards in
1521 and their subsequent invasion in
1565, the people living in the
archipelago had already established
their own civilization.
o Independent communities are called
barangay.
- the word barangay came from
the Malay word balangay, which
refers to the boat that
transported them to their
settlements.
- there was no central government
- there was no “Philippines” yet
o Datu or Chieftain – the one who
leads the barangay
- had executive, legislative, and
judicial powers
- despite these wide powers, the
datu did not act as if he was an
absolute ruler.
- his powers were checked
Barangays were composed of three groups
1. Nobles
- consisted of the datu and their
families
- they wielded influence in the
barangay
2. Freemen
- composed of free people and
dependents who earned their
freedom
- helps the datu in activities that
involve the welfare of the
barangay
- either called Timawa or
Maharlika
3. Dependents
- composed of people who were
not able to pay their debts,
cannot pay their legal fines,
captured in battle, or by being
born to dependent parents
- They served the members of the
barangay as a sort of payment
for their freedom.
- There were two types of
dependents – namamahay and
sagigilid.
Dependents ≠ Slaves – because their
position in society was not permanent.
Was Pre-Colonial society
uncivilized?
- The people in the barangay did
not act according to what they
wanted. They were not
“uncivilized” people who did not
follow rules. They had their own
laws.
LAWS
a. Customary Laws - composed most
laws in a barangay. These laws
 were passed down orally from
generation to generation.
b. Written Laws - those written by the
datu and his advisers when there
was a necessity for it.
FASHION
For men:
- the attire was composed of
upper and lower parts.
- the upper part is called
kanggan, which was a collarless
jacket with short sleeves.
- the lower part is called bahag, a
strip of cloth wrapped in the
waist, passing down between
thighs.
- they also wore headgears called
putong, which was a cloth
wrapped around the head
For Women:
- the upper part is called baro or
camisa. It was a jacket with
sleeves.
- the lower part was called saya,
which was a loose skirt.
- a tapis, a long cloth, was usually
wrapped around the waist.
There were no slippers or shoes during the
pre-colonial period. They all walked
barefooted.
Golden Ornaments and Jewelries
- Since gold was abundant before,
both men and women filled their
bodies with golden ornaments
and jewelries.
Tattooing
- was a common practice.
- for both men and women, it was
a symbol of beauty.
- it served as a proof of bravery
and skill of men in battle. The
more tattoos a man had, the
more men he killed in battle.
RELIGION
Polytheistic Religion
- They believed in polytheism,
which means that they had more
than one god to worship to.
Babaylans
- were considered as
religious/spiritual leaders.
Bathala
- They considered Bathala as the
creator of the Earth and all living
beings. He was the superior
deity compared to other gods.
- They adored animals, plants,
and all objects of nature as
something to be respected.
PHILIPPINES UNDER SPANISH
OCCUPATION
15th and 16th century
- “age of exploration”
- European countries employed
explorers to search for spices,
 raw materials, and lands around
the world.
Ferdinand Maggellan
- Portuguese explorer working for
the King of Spain
- his crew reached in 1521 an
archipelago in the western part
of the Pacific Ocean, the
Philippines.
- Magellan died in a battle.
The King of Spain was made aware of the
existence of the Philippines. Eager to
acquire the territory, Spain sent multiple
expeditions to conquer the territory.
1565
- Miguel López de Legazpi’s
expedition successfully occupied
the archipelago.
- Start of Spanish colonization
(signaled the loss of freedom
pre-colonial societies once
enjoyed)
Several institutional changes were imposed
by the Spaniards when they officially started
to occupy the Philippines.
• Reduccion – system of
resettlement; people living in the
barangay were forced to transfer
• Taxation
- Buwis – can be paid through
cas or in kind
- Bandala – enforced
confiscation of goods
• Polo y Servicio – men were forced
to work for forty days each year.
Change in social standing of the population.
o When the Spaniards arrived, they
were now at the top, while the
natives were at the bottom.
o Peninsulares - they were full-
blooded Spaniards who were born
from Spain.
o Insulares - were also full-blooded
Spaniards but they were born in the
Philippines.
o Mestizos - who were born from
foreign and native parents.
o Principalias - below the mestizos
were the descendants of the nobles
during the pre-colonial period who
allied themselves with Spain.
o Indios - the full-blooded natives or
inhabitants of the archipelago.
o Sangleys - had the lowest standing
in society under the Spanish rule.
They were composed of Chinese
citizens who instead of living in
China, went to Philippines to pursue
their trading activities.
• Frailocracy
- Rules of the friars and priests
- the priests helped in the
colonization process; they
were able to establish
themselves as political
figures in the country.
- have massive influence in
every aspect of society and
ruled supreme in
governmental matters
- also, able to accumulate
economic wealth and power
through the vast lands
 - granted to them by the King CONTEXTUALIZING RIZAL’S SOCIETY
of Spain.
- Abuser

FORMATION OF “FILIPINO” IDENTITY

AND NATIONALISM
o The different institutions established ➢ An Oppressed Society
by the Spaniards in the Philippines • Racism
led to the oppression of the Filipino • Friars
people. • Freedom of Speech
o The oppression and abuse faced by • Violence
Filipinos under the Spaniards led ➢ Transforming Society
some individuals to fight. • Nationalism was developing
• Aware of issues
Despite multiple efforts, the revolts failed
• Education
because of:
• Rights
• Lack of nationalism – there was no
“Filipino” identity
• Due to the lack of nationalism -
there was no unity and coordination
among the Filipinos fighting the
Spaniards. This division led them to
be easily defeated by the Spaniards.
19th Century
o Filipino nationalism slowly
formed.
1. Opening of the Philippines to
international trade.
- Unprecedented economic
development
- People-to-people interaction
2. Entry of European liberalism
- Equality, freedom, justice
3. Formation of the “middle class”
- Provide their children with
formal education
- Students fought for the rights
of the native populations or
the Indios