Evaluate
For this assessment, apply content and context analysis on the
eyewitness account of the Battle of Mactan by Pigafetta. You are
encouraged to use other references to be able to answer the following
worksheet. Write your answer on the space provided.
Context Analysis
Title of the document where the selected text came from :
Primo Viaggo Intorno al Mondo
Original language of the document: Italian
Language used in Translation: English
Translator : James Alexander Robertson
Author’s name:Antonio Pigafetta
Birth (Date and Place): Between 1480-1941
At Vicenza, Republic of Venice
Death 1531 at the age about 40-50 at
Vinceza, republic of Venice
Relevant information about the author that would link the author to the primary
source: He joined the expedition to the spice island led by Ferdinand Magellan
therefore he himself was one of those men who experienced the tragedy of the Battle
of Mactan.
Date of writing and/or Publication of the original document: 1924-1925
Author’s Purpose for writing the document:
To show or to document the experience of Magellan and his men during his
expedition when they reached the Philippines and met the natives of the nation.
What was happening in history around the time that the document was written?
Magellan was looking for a western sea route to reach spice island and in pursue of
circumnavigating the world.
Who was the intended audience of the document?
King of Spagnia, Spagnia and European Nobilities
Content Analysis
What is the main topic of, the selected text analyzed?
The Battle of Mactan, even if it was situated in the early years of Spanish invasion
marks the start of an organized Filipino resistance against foreigner’s aggression.
Who were the groups or people mentioned?
 Datu Zula
 On of the sons of Chief Zula
 Cilapulapu (LapuLapu)
 Sixty men armed with corselets and helmets (the musketeer and
crossbowmen)
 The Christian King/King of Spagnia
 The Prince
 Some of the chief men
 Twenty or thirty Balanguias
 Ferdinand Magellan
 Natives
 Captain-General
 Duarte Barboza
 Johan serrano
 Henrich
 San Martin de Sivilia
 Johan Carvaio
What were the places mentioned?
 Island of Matan (Mactan)
 Mactan
 Spagnia
What were the key topics discussed? Enumerate THREE.
 Monastic Supremacy
 Religion
 Politics
If there are any, what are the personal biases, suspected errors or misleading statements
of the author that showed up in the document? Name at least 2
 The story was only talking about the side of Magellan and the Spaniards, any
Filipino scenery was not found in the story.
 The number of deaths of the natives, Pigafetta mentioned that they only killed
fifteen of the natives. Pigafetta cannot assume that there was only fifteen for
me mentioned earlier that LapuLapu’s soldiers was One thousand Five
hundred
 Maybe Pigaffeta gave a big number of soldiers in LapuLapu’s army he said
that there were one thousand five hundred native soldiers.
What do you think is the historical significance of this document?
It is a story on how Filipinos fight for their mother land against foreign invaders. And
also shows how Filipinos fight for their freedom and show patriotism in their land