Name: John Mark N.
Lubong Course and Section: BSCE-1B
Instructor: Wilmar B. Cachin Subject Course: GEC RPH 004
UNIT 1
MEANING AND RELEVANCE OF HISTORY
ACTIVITY 1
1. Determine the account that falls under primary source; and the account that falls under
secondary source. Provide a short justification for your choice.
Answer: The first account which is Artemio Ricarte’s account is a Primary Sources, because he
was a member of the Magdiwang faction and served as secretary in the convention during the
Tejeros Assembly before being elected as Captain-General of the revolutionary government, so
he was a direct participant and eyewitness to the events of the elections. On the other hand, the
second account, which is the account of Andres Bonifacio, is considered a Secondary Source.
The particular reason for the circumstance is that the letter Andres Bonifacio wrote to Emilio
Jacinto was one month after the Tejeros Assembly. While the third account which is Santiago
Alvarez’s account is a Primary Account. For a reason that, like Artemio Ricarte, Santiago
Alvarez was also participant and eyewitness to the event of elections, he narrates the exact
situation and even during the Tejeros Assembly.
2. Applying your knowledge on External and Internal Criticism, scrutinize the provided
historical accounts as to Authenticity and Credibility. Identify which account is credible; and
determine which account is authentic. Justify your answers.
Answer: The first account is definitely credible since the witness has the ability to tell the truth,
which implies that the witness was close to or directly participated in the incident, is competent,
and most importantly, has personally heard or seen the event. While the second account is
authentic, based on the given document in the lesson or module, the original letter of Andres
Bonifacio to Emilio Jacinto is provided, which determines the author by the handwriting,
signatures, and seals. Another reason is that the second account is an anachronistic reference to
events, which indicates that the object may be too early or too late from the date it claims to
come from or too remote or too far from where it was discovered. Similarly, the third account,
like the first, is also credible. Because the witness' testimony is believable and accurate in terms
of narrative, the witness has the capacity to tell the truth as well as the willingness to tell the
truth. Furthermore, the witness corroborated it with another independent source, which was the
source mentioned in the first account.
3. After reading the three accounts, Identify the main arguments/points of each of their
narratives and why each came up with their version of the event.
Answer: After reading the three accounts, I identify that the first account was narrated by the
witness as a participant of the event. Moreover, the version of the event of the first account is
that the witness is not only participant of the event but also one of the officials and served as the
secretary of the convention, the witness also mentioned how he initially refused the position, but
his objections were overruled by electoral body. The second account comes from Andres
Bonifacio's letter to Emilio Jacinto; however, his version is published in the form of a letter a
month after the Tejeros Assembly. The second account is found in the memoirs of the witness in
which like the first account, the witness of the third account is also participant and involve in the
said event, but his version of the event is more detailed and accurate especially the point of view
of the individuals involved in the Tejeros Assembly. The second account is found in the
witness's memoirs, in which, like the first account, the witness is also a participant and engaged
in the event, but his version of the event is more detailed and accurate, particularly from the
perspective of the individuals involved in the Tejeros Assembly. The main arguments and points
of each of their narratives were when the voting for the positions of the government of the
Philippine Republic and the discussion of minor and major issues, as well as how to establish
and strengthen the defense of the areas. In addition, it is also part of the argument on how Mr.
Daniel Tirona insulted Andres Bonifacio as uneducated because Mr. Daniel Tirona wants to elect
Mr. Jose del Rosario for the position of Secretary Interior because he is a lawyer while Andres
Bonifacio is not.
4. In relation to number 3, how does an event with numerous versions such as the Tejeros
Convention, help shape Philippine History?
Answer: In my opinion, an event with numerous versions, such as the Tejeros Convention, is
based on the witnesses or participants of the event and their testimony. The three accounts that
are provided in this lesson are based on the experiences, positions, points of view, and
involvement of the witness. Numerous versions can provide more information and serve as a
source for other accounts or narratives of witnesses who were also present at the event, in order
to provide facts and unbiased information about a specific event. Well, I think the accounts of
different witnesses to the same events shape Philippine history on what really happened at the
said event and what the arguments and the main objectives are that contribute to the present and
future of the Philippines. Because of what occurred during the Tejeros Convention during the
election, the government and Republic of the Philippines devised a plan for the election's aspect
and manner. Unlike in the past, when the officials and people involved in the event were the ones
who voted and decided for the position, in this era, the citizens and people of the Philippines
have the power to vote and choose who is eligible for a position.
