Commerce. Our forefathers engaged in domestic and foreign trade. Barangay traded with barangay, island with island. The foreign trade was carried extensively with the neighboring countries of China, Japan, Siam (now Thailand), Borneo, Cambodia, India, Malacca, Java, Sumatra and others. The peoples of the Philippines exported, among other things, betel nuts, pearls, tortoise shells, etc. In return, they imported porcelain, silk, bronze gongs, beeswax, hardwood, rice, cotton and semi-precious stones.
The barter system was commonly used, but sometimes, gold dust, metal bells, seashells, tin or iron were used as mediums of exchange. There were also early coins known as piloncitos.
SOCIAL ACTIVITIES.
Our ancestors lived in communities called barangays. The barangay is a unit of society.
The Social Classes. The barangay was ruled by a datu. Together with his family and his close relatives, the datu made up the noble class (maharlika). They constituted the highest social class in the community.
Among the other social classes in the community were the freemen (timawas). They were persons who were born free or slaves who became free. They were next in rank to the nobility. They owned property and did not work for the maharlikas. They paid no taxes but only gave tributes or gifts to the datu. They were allowed to freely mix with the maharlikas.
Next in rank were the serfs (aliping namamahay). They could own property and marry at will, but they had to render service to the maharlikas and timawas in return for the protection given them.
Lowest in rank were the slaves (aliping saguiguilid). Like any other property, they were owned by their masters. They could not own property and could marry only with the consent of their masters. They could even be sold to others. As a matter of fact, their masters had the power of life and death over them.
Causes of Slavery. The children of a slave also remain slaves. A freeman who fails to pay his debt may lose his freedom and become a slave to the one to whom he owes the debt.
