Résumé
Résumé de A History of the Philippines
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Readers who love sweeping national histories, voyages of discovery and colonial rivalries will find a clear guide here. It also suits anyone curious about Filipino roots.
De quoi parle ce livre ?
What does it take to write the history of a country whose earliest records have vanished? David P. Barrows answers in this schoolbook, finished in Manila on March 1, 1903. He wrote it for students in the public high schools, and he calls it an introduction, not a last word.
The story runs from the small dark mountain peoples to the first American civil governor. You meet Magellan dying on a beach at Mactan, Legaspi sealing a blood pact on Bohol, and José Rizal facing a firing squad. Barrows writes as an American official of his day, so his judgments carry the views of 1903.
Dans ce résumé
- 1Ask how we know before you believeFree
- 2Waves of peoples built the Filipino nation
- 3Europe's hunger for spices opened the seas
- 4Magellan reaches the islands and dies at Mactan
- 5Before Spain, Filipinos traded, wrote and ruled locally
- 6Legaspi conquers the islands with few men
- 7Manila becomes a crossroads under heavy burdens
- 8Dutch rivals and Moro raiders drain the colony
- 9British capture, reform and revolution end Spanish rule
- 10American rule begins with war and new schools
Point clé 1 sur 10
Ask how we know before you believe
Barrows opens by telling his young readers how to read history. History exists only where credible written records exist. Chinese writings described the Philippines centuries before the Europeans came.
He asks every student to put one question to every claim: how do we know this? Writers of the past made mistakes, held biases and sometimes lied. So the historian must compare accounts and allow for prejudice. Pigafetta sailed with Magellan, and Chirino, Morga and Zuñiga wrote the early books on the islands.
He offers Japan as a model, where young men studied abroad, some working as servants to pay their way. He hopes Filipinos will study with the same courage and search for the truth even when it shames. Takeaway: ask how we know, and honor your country by facing its past honestly.
That’s 1 of 10 key points.
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About this edition
Every format is free to start, and print and large print are at cost.
- LengthAbout 4,230 words
- Reading timeAbout 20 min
Questions about A History of the Philippines
What is A History of the Philippines by David Barrows about?
It surveys Philippine history from the earliest peoples through Magellan, Legaspi and three centuries of Spanish rule to the 1896 revolution and the first years of American government, written in 1903 for Filipino high school students.
When was the book written and who was it for?
Barrows finished it in Manila on March 1, 1903, at the suggestion of the educational authorities. It was meant as an introduction for students in the public high schools, so it is organized in short, clearly titled chapters.
Who were the Moros and why do they appear so often?
Moros is the name Spaniards gave to the Muslim Malays of Mindanao, Jolo and Borneo, taken from the Moors of Spain. Barrows follows their long conflict with Spain, including the sea raids on Visayan towns.
What sources does Barrows use?
He draws on eyewitnesses and chroniclers such as Pigafetta, Chirino, Morga, San Augustin, Combes and Zuñiga, along with official documents. He teaches readers to ask how we know each claim.
Is the book still worth reading today?
Yes, as a window on how an American official taught Philippine history in 1903. It gives a clear timeline and rich detail, and its views on Spain, the Chinese and independence invite comparison with newer histories.
Cite this edition
Barrows, David P. A History of the Philippines. Library of Alexandria, 2026, libraryofalexandria.com/products/a-history-of-the-philippines.
Barrows, D. P. (2026). A history of the Philippines. Library of Alexandria. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/a-history-of-the-philippines (Original work published 1905)
Barrows, David P. A History of the Philippines. Library of Alexandria, 2026. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/a-history-of-the-philippines.
@book{barrows2026history,
author = {Barrows, David P.},
title = {A History of the Philippines},
publisher = {Library of Alexandria},
year = {2026},
url = {https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/a-history-of-the-philippines},
note = {First published 1905}
}
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