PAMBAYANG DALUBHASAAN NG MARILAO

GENERAL EDUCATION-SOCIAL SCIENCES & NSTP DEPARTMENT

Readings in Philippine History

Week 1-2
Module 1-2
Introduction to History: Definition, Issues, Sources and Methodology

Learning Outcome/s Sub Topic/s

 Demonstrating critical thinking by  Definition of History
identifying, analyzing, and evaluating the  History and Historiography
different content and context of several  The Limitation of Historical Knowledge
significant writings in Philippine history.  Historiography and Historical Method
 Sources of Historical Data
 Historical Criticisms

Hello students! Are you one of those who

dread History for its notoriety in
requiring you to memorize dates, places
names, and events from distant eras?
It is high time you do away with the
misconception that history is a boring
field of study.
Realize that by studying history, we
situate ourselves in the story of the nation,
a necessary endeavor to be able to know more
about our identity and find out how we can
solve the problems of today and move forward to the future.

I. Overview:

This module presents history as a narrative and a field of study. This introduces students to history as a
theoretical field. It traces history’s etymology and identifies the term beyond its being an inquiry of the
past. It discusses the historical method of the evaluation of primary sources, it likewise deals with its
difference from historiography, some of its theoretical aspects, its methodology, its relevance, issues,
and the historian as an “arbiter of facts and evidences.”

II. General Objectives

At the end of the discussion, the students will be able to:
 Explain the relevance of history as an academic discipline and as a narrative;
 Discuss the concept of historical criticism as important aspect in ascertaining the
authenticity and reliability of sources;
 Assess the value of historical evidences; and
 Apply the knowledge in historical methodology in assessing and analyzing existing
historical narratives.

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GENERAL EDUCATION-SOCIAL SCIENCES & NSTP DEPARTMENT

III. Initial Task:

Task 1: Share your thoughts on the statements below:

 " History is who we are and why we are the way we are "(David McCullough)

_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________.

 “No document, no history”

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________.
Task 2 – Watch “Ano ang Kasaysayan”.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPDLYjN_oQY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-VT_-n7NHU

Know Want Learn

Task 3 – Share your thoughts. Using the K-W-L Technique diagram below, answer the following
questions: What do you know about history, what do you want to learn about history? what
have you learned after watching the video?

IV. Lecture

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GENERAL EDUCATION-SOCIAL SCIENCES & NSTP DEPARTMENT

Definition of History

 Although history has always been acknowledged as the study of the past which is never wrong,
it does not give justice to the subject’s complexity and its relevance to humanity.
 The word is a derivation from the Greek, historia which means “knowledge acquired through an
investigation.” As a field of study, history is as ancient as philosophy existing for approximately
2,400 years already. Evidences later proved historia’s inclusion in classical Latin which also
meant an evolution in its definition into an account of a person or group’s past through written
documents or other historical evidences – a definition which lasted until the early 20 th century
when it became a vital academic discipline.
 Documenting the lives of monarchs, nobilities, heroes, saints, and other important personalities
along with chronicling battles, defeats, as well as breakdowns or breakthroughs, was rendered a
historian’s duty. It is therefore imperative to address the question, “What counts as history?”
For the conventional historians, only a written document can prove and render the occurrence
of a historical event or its equivalent as a historical fact. This notion, nevertheless, evolved into
the inclusion of other legitimate historical sources such as government records, chroniclers’
accounts, journals, and letters, for “giving premium to written documents essentially invalidates
the history of other civilizations that do not keep written records” (Candelaria & Alporha, 2018)
especially those that banked on the oral tradition; those whose written records were either
scorched or destroyed in wars; or those whose social status like the peasants or indigenous
groups rarely merit documentation hence hardly ever found in government records.
Additionally, limiting historical substantiation through written documentation is also a form of
discrimination against the latter. Addressing such a gap, historians began making use of
historical sources other than the written ones but just as valid. Case in point, oral traditions in
the form of epics and songs along with artifacts, and architecture [among others] made history
inclusive. It even set-off collaborations with other fields. Ancient civilizations, for instance, that
were initially disregarded due to the lack of documents were already probed with the aid of the
archaeologists’ artifacts. Moreover, by examining language and the variations that it had
undergone, linguists also get to facilitate in the historians’ quest for historical evolutions, earlier
group connections, and the current of cultural influence just as how the biologists or
biochemists [among others] aid the historians’ investigations of societies through genetic and
DNA analysis.
 Apart from the issues mentioned, the most current perhaps would be the contention that
history is at all times penned by victors suggesting thus that the narratives of the past are biased
toward the powerful and the dominant. The narrative of the Second World War, for instance,
labelled the Americans as heroes while the Japanese were identified as oppressors hence the
Filipinos who collaborated with the latter were depicted as traitors. Nevertheless, a careful
historical scrutiny could reveal its complexity to render the prescribed hero versus villain
narrative, obsolete.

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GENERAL EDUCATION-SOCIAL SCIENCES & NSTP DEPARTMENT

History and Historiography

 As an academic discipline, history has morphed into a multi-faceted and dynamic investigation
which eventually spawned historiography. Whereas the former investigates the past, bygone
events and their causes; the latter, which answers questions like: What is history? Why study
history? History for whom? explores history itself. Simply put, historiography deals with how a
certain historical text was written, who wrote it, what was the context of its publication, and
what historical method as well as historical sources were used. This gives students a better grasp
of history as they do not only get to learn historical facts but they also are afforded with the
historian’s context that influenced how the account was penned thereby rendering students as
critical thinkers instead of passive recipients of historical narratives.
 In the past, history was used to legitimize governments, to establish a sense of collective identity
through people’s collective memory, to make sense of the present, to circumvent mistakes that
resemble those of the past, and to inspire people to forge ahead and press on with the past’s
good example. These are just some of the objectives which make history relevant.

As a school of thought, positivism which emerged between the 18th and 19th century entails empirical
evidence and objectivity in drawing conclusions before knowledge can be declared true. The demand
for historians to obtain written primary documents prior to the writing of a historical narrative
emanates from this truth hence positivist historians are depicted as impartial not only in their
assertions but they should also be objective on how the historical research is carried out.

 Hence when history is penned, its intended audience is given some gravity. The ilustrados for
instance, like Jose Rizal, authored narratives meant for the Spaniards who were expected to
realize that Filipinos were on a par with their intellect and culture. The American historians who
portrayed the Filipinos as uncivilized targeted their fellow Americans as readers to justify
Philippine colonization – that is to fulfill a civilizing mission instead of painting a picture of
undermining the country’s sovereignty. The same can be said for North Korea, Nazi Germany,
and Thailand [among others] that prescribe sanctioned versions of their country’s history.

Against the backdrop of nations grappling with the notion of building their own identity free from the
yoke of colonial past, postcolonialism emerged as a school of thought in the early 20 th century. It
established two objectives in writing postcolonial narratives: 1) to tell a nation’s history that
underscores an identity without any hint of colonial influence, and 2) to censure colonialism along
with its methods and effects. This renders postcolonial history a response or a substitute for colonial
history which is a narrative penned by the colonial power.

 There are theories constructed by historians in investigating history:

o Factual history – presents readers the plain and basic information vis-à-vis the events
that took place (what), the time and date with which the events happened (when),
the place with which the events took place (where) and the people that were
involved (who).

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o Speculative – goes beyond facts because it is concerned about the reasons for which
the events happened (why) and the way they happened (how). It tries to speculate
on the cause and effect of an event. (Cantal, Cardinal, Espino, & Galindo 2014.)

Choosing history allows you to acquire a combination of skills and insights that will

 broaden your understanding of the world

 develop you as a person
 enable you to participate fully in society

 History will give you a combination of skills and insights that will help you to:
 Prepare you for work
 Enable you to participate fully in society
 develop your understanding of change through the perspectives of political, social,
cultural, economic, religious and scientific history -Michael Collins, Apollo 11
 Develop you as a person -John Redmond, 1893
 Develop yourself personally and preparing yourself more fully for adult and working
life by broadening your knowledge of current affairs
 understand many of the issues that affect the world today
Relevance to life
 We will develop an appreciation of the society in which we live and of other societies,
past and present
 We will also develop a greater awareness of our own identity and traditions
The Limitation of Historical Knowledge

 Most human affairs happen without leaving any evidence or records of any kind, no artifacts, or
if there are, no further evidence of the human setting in which to place surviving artifacts.

 The whole history of the past (history-as-actuality) can be known to a historian only through the
surviving records (history-as-record), and most of history-as-record in only a tiny part of the
whole phenomenon. Even the archeological and anthropological discoveries are only small parts
discovered from the total past.

 While the popular definition of history as the study of the past is not wrong, it does not give
justice to the complexity of the subject and its importance to human civilization.
 History progressed and opened up to the possibility of valid historical sources, which were
not limited to written documents. Historians used other kinds of historical sources, which
may not be written form but were just as valid.

Historiography and Historical Method

 Historiography – the practice of historical writing.

o The traditional method - focuses on gathering of documents from different libraries and
archives to form a pool of evidence needed in making a descriptive or analytical
narrative.
o The modern historical writing does not only include examination of documents but also
the use of research methods from related areas of study such as archeology and

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GENERAL EDUCATION-SOCIAL SCIENCES & NSTP DEPARTMENT

geography.
 Historical Method – the process of historically examining and analyzing the records and survivals
of the past. Historical Method includes the Historical Criticism and the definition of Historical
Sources. Historical Method is like the Scientific Method in Science, except that the information is
already given to the historians.

• Importance of Historical Method:

•

• 1. Finding Solutions for Contemporary Problems

• 2. Understanding the trends for present and future
• 3. Understanding importance and repercussions found in cultures

• 4. Reevaluation of presented historical data and factoids

Sources of Historical Data

Primary Sources
 resources produced at the same time as the event, period, or subject being
studied,
 Are original, factual, not interpretive, first-hand account of an event or period that
are usually written.
Examples: diaries, journals, letters, newspapers and magazine articles (factual
accounts), government records (census, marriage, military), photographs, maps,
postcards, posters, recorded or transcribed speeches, interviews with participants
or witnesses, with people who lived during a certain time, songs, novels, stories,
paintings, drawings and sculptures.
Secondary Sources:

 Are those resources which were produced by an author who used primary sources
to produce the material
 Analyzes and interprets primary sources
 Second-hand account of a historical event
 The secondary source is the evidence of someone who was not present at the
time of occurrence of the event e.g., books written by historians. The secondary
source is also of great historical importance to historians. Although the secondary
source is itself dependent on primary sources.
 In other words, secondary sources are historical sources, which studied a certain
historical subject.

Written sources – are usually categorized in three ways: a.) narrative or literary, b.) diplomatic
or juridical, c.) social documents.
a. Narrative or literature are chronicles or tracts presented in narrative form,
written to impart a message whose motives for their composition vary widely.
Example: newspaper article – might be intended to shape opinion; a novel or
film might be may to entertain, to deliver a moral teaching; a biography might
be written in praise of the subject’s worth.

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b. Diplomatic sources - document /record an existing legal situation or create a

new one, the purest, the best source.
c. Social documents – are information pertaining to social, economic, political or
judicial records kept by bureaucracies.

Non-written – are as essential as written sources.

a. Material evidence – also known as archeological evidence, one of the most
important unwritten evidences. Examples: pottery, jewelry, dwellings, graves,
churches, roads, and others that tell a story about the past
b. Oral evidence – an important source of information for historians.
Examples: tales, folk songs or popular rituals

Historical Criticisms

 As the historian draws his conclusions and generalizations on the basis of these documents and
facts it is essential to check up the authenticity of the documents and facts. It is the duty of the
historian to doubt every statement until it has been critically tested.

 This criticism can be of two types, i.e. External and Internal.

Image Retrieved from : https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Internal-and-External-Criticism-from-Neuman-2003-

p421_fig1_279943052

 The ‘External Criticism’ is of a less intellectual type of criticism of the documents. It includes
examinations of documents like manuscripts, books, pamphlets, maps, inscriptions, and
monuments. The problem of authenticity of document arises more in the case of manuscripts
than the printed documents because the printed document has already been authenticated by
the editor.
 It is the practice of verifying the authenticity of evidence by examining its physical
characteristics; consistency with the historical characteristics of the time when it was produced;
and the materials used for evidence. (quality of paper, the type of the ink, and the language and
the words used in the material, among others).

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The examination of the truthfulness of the evidence. It looks at the content of the source and
examines the circumstance of its production. It looks at the truthfulness and factuality of the
evidence by looking at the author of the source, its context, the agenda behind the creation,
the knowledge which informed it, and its intended purpose, among others.
 While collecting the material, it must be remembered that a document contains the idea of the
man who wrote. A historian must analyze the contents of the documents with a view to
determining the real meaning. He must try to avoid the laps such as avoid the reading into
meaning which author did not mean to convey, etc., and make a sincere effort to find out the
facts even if they are contrary to his set notions and theories.
 He must be able to understand the literal and real meaning of the document which is termed as
‘Positive Criticism’. It reveals us with the author’s conceptions and general notion which he
represents. On another hand, historian sometimes comes across documents which contradict
each other. Hence the need for eliminating statements and facts which are obviously wrong and
false arises.
 Therefore, historians have come to hold the view that all that cannot be proved must be
temporarily regarded as doubtful because of the incompetence and unreliability of the author
which prevents him from telling the truth even when he knows. To assess the correctness of the
fact, the historian must ascertain whether the author had the opportunity to know the facts as
an eyewitness or not.
 What was his source of information and how much time elapsed between the event and the
record? But the dependable testimony depends on a number of factors such as ability and
willingness to tell the truth, the accuracy of the report and independent corroboration.
However, it may be noted that there is a possibility that a skillful liar may deliberately create the
condition, i.e. ability and willingness to tell the truth with accuracy to establish the credibility of
his statements.
 Therefore, in those cases, the credibility must not be accepted without proper investigation.
Moreover, if there is an agreement between documents, we cannot draw the conclusion that
the facts are definitive but we must ensure that the facts are harmonious and prove each other
are interconnected.

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V. Assessment:

1. Test your memory

Give at least 3 examples of Factual History
______________________
______________________
______________________

Give at least 2 examples of Speculative History

_______________________
_______________________

2. Why study history?

___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________

3. Give your understanding on this statement?

"A future with your past"
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________.

4. What source?

Directions: Read the following scenarios and classify the sources discovered as primary, secondary
or tertiary sources. Write your answers in the space provided:

 Rodrigo was exploring the library in his new school in Manila. He wanted to study
the history of Calamba, Laguna during the 19 th century. In one of the books, he saw
an old photograph of a woman standing in front of an old church, clipped among the
pages. At the back of the photo was a fine inscription that says “Kalamba, 19 de
Junio 1861”. Is the inscription a primary, secondary or a tertiary source?
Answer: ________________
 Ms. Dela Cruz was a new teacher of Araling Panlipunan in a small elementary school
in Marilao Bulacan. Her colleagues gave her the new textbook that she ought to use
in the class. Before the class started, Ms. Dela Cruz studied the textbook carefully.

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She noted that the authors used works by other known historians in writing the
textbook. She saw the bibliography included Teodoro Agoncillo’s The Revolt of the
Masses and the Fateful Years: Japan’s Adventure in the Philippines, 1941-1945. She
also saw that the authors used Ma. Luisa Camagay’s Working Women of Manila
During the 19th Century and many others. Is the textbook a primary, secondary, or a
tertiary one? Answer: ________________________
 Mr. Santos visited the United States for a few months to see his relative who have
lived there for decades. His cousin brought him on tours around Illinois. Mr. Santos
visited the Field Museum of Natural History where a golden image of a woman
caught his eye. Mr. Santos looked closer and read that the image was called “The
Golden Tara”. It originated from Agusan del Sur and was brought by the museum in
1922. It was believed to be made prior to the arrival of the Spaniards in the
Philippines. Is the textbook a primary, secondary, or a tertiary one?
Answer: ________________________

5. My Primary Source. Present a primary source that can be used in the writing of your life
story and discuss how it qualifies as a primary source. Submit your work and present it to
the class.

6. Research at least two (2) of your chosen Indigenous people in the Philippines and briefly
narrate their contributions to Philippine history. Write your answers on one (1) whole
yellow paper and use the rubric below as your guide. Cite your sources.

Rubric:
Criteria Points
Presentation of the narratives 15
Explanation is supported with details and factual information 20
Convention/Mechanics 15
Total 50

______________________________________________________________________________

Supplemental Readings:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1szjUUWl3E

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