Name: Vina O.

Cadorna Sub/Sec: History 103/AT33

Date: June 10, 2013

Philippine History in General and own Concept of History

According to the book entitled “Documentary Sources of Philippine History Vol. 1”,
HISTORY is generally define as a record of events affecting a nation’s life and destiny, history
is written based on actual happenings or facts as these are revealed through sources. According
to noted historian and Sorbonne professor Dr. Charles Seignobes (1854-1942) these sources are
(1) Oral tradition, (2) archaeological artefacts, and (3) written literature.
The history of the Philippines starts from the Early Inhabitants of the Philippine Islands
where many historians and scientists believe that the first inhabitants of the Philippine islands
emerged during the Pleistocene period.
To the Spanish Colonial Times tells how Spaniard ruled our country for 365 years and
Philippines called Archipelago of San Lazaro by Ferdinand Magellan who was killed by Lapu-
lapu and Commander Ruy Lopez de Villalobos named the islands: Philippines, after Prince
Philip (later King Philip II), the katipunan and Dr. Jose P. Rizal why he came to be our National
Hero.
The American Era, Americans led by U.S. Navy Admiral George Dewey, in participation
of Emilio Aguinaldo, attacked the Spanish Navy in Manila Bay. And on June 12, 1898, Filipinos
led by Emilio Aguinaldo declared independence. The U.S. passed the Jones Law and Tydings-
McDuffie Act and promised Philippine independence by 1946. On the May 14, 1935 elections,
Manuel L. Quezon won the position of President of the Philippine Commonwealth.
The Japanese Occupation, On December 8, 1941, the Japanese invades the Philippines.
Soon a guerrilla war against the Japanese was fought by the Philippine & American Armies
while Filipinos were enduring the cruelty of the Japanese military against civilians. In October
1944, Gen. MacArthur with next President, Sergio Osmeña returned and liberated the Philippines
from the Japanese.
The Republic of the Philippines, On July 4, 1946, Manuel Roxas of the Nationalista
Party was inaugurated as the first President of the Republic of the Philippines. He was succeeded
by Elpidio Quirino. Quirino was succeeded by Defense Ramon Magsaysay. Diosdado Macapagal
won the 1961 presidential elections and changed history by declaring June 12 as Independence
Day - the day Emilio Aguinaldo declared independence in Cavite from Spain in 1898.
Martial Law Regime, Ferdinand E. Marcos won the presidency in 1965 and was the first
president to be re-elected for a second term in office. Marcos held an iron grip on the nation with
the support of the military. Opposition leaders we imprisoned and the legislature was abolished.
Marcos ruled by presidential decrees.
Post Martial Law the 21-year dictatorial rule of Marcos ended in 1986. Corazon "Cory"
Aquino, the wife of exiled and murdered opposition leader Benigno Aquino who was perceived
to have won a just concluded snap election was installed as president. At present the President
was Benigno Simeon Cojuangco Aquino III, who won the May 10, 2010 presidential elections.
This was the first computerized national elections in Philippine history.
It just shows that Philippine history starts from the Early Inhabitants of the Philippine
Islands, to the Post Martial Law, and up to the present. We can say that Philippines were still
making its own history. Philippine History in General is more focus on the events on how
Philippines got their freedom towards those countries that tends to invade the nation. I think
that’s why we study history and how it is related with Philippine Constitution for the reason that
the history of the Philippines itself tackles about the forming of its constitution and how we come
up with the present government of the Philippines.
Reference: http://www.philippine-history.org