I.
Objectives:
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
• To understand the meaning of history as an academic discipline and
to be familiar with the underlying philosophy and methodology of
the discipline.
• To examine and assess critically the value of historical evidences and
sources.
• To appreciate the importance of history in the social and national life
of the Philippines.
Warm Up
(1)What does history mean?
(2)How important is history to your personal and
professional success?
Meaning and Relevance of History
Jose Rizal
Andres Bonifacio
General Luna
June 12
December 31
Manila, Malolos, Dapitan
Intramuros
Death March
Japanese Invasion
It is a historian’s duty to draw insights from the
ideas and realities that have shaped the lives of
men and women and the society. And in
understanding these ideas, a historian (or, in
fact, a student of history) can
comprehend how situations happened, identify
their elements, and think of how these
situations can solve today’s predicaments, and
help them plan for the future.
WHY STUDY HISTORY?
An examination of the past can tell us a great deal about how we
came to be who we are. It means looking at the roots of modern
institutions, ideas, values, and problems.
Looking at the past teaches us to see the world through different
eyes-appreciating the diversity of human perceptions, beliefs, and
cultures. Different and/or new perspectives will enable us to analyze
critically the present contexts of our society and beings.
DEFINITION and ETYMOLOGY OF HISTORY
HISTORY
greek word historia
“knowledge acquired through inquiry or investigation.”
DEFINITION and ETYMOLOGY OF HISTORY
as a discipline, it existed for around 2,400 years and is as old as
mathematics and philosophy.
was then adapted to classical Latin and historia became known as the
account of the past of a person or of a group of people through
written documents and historical evidences. This meaning stuck until the
early parts of the twentieth century.
became an important academic discipline.
is the inquiry conducted by the historian and the series of past events into
which he inquires.
is the continuous process of interaction between the historian and his
facts, an unending dialogue between the present and the past.
It is thus important to ask: What counts as history?
Traditional historians lived with the
mantra “no document, no
history”. It means that unless a
written document can prove a certain
historical event, then it cannot be
considered as a historical fact.
“No document, No history”.
DO YOU AGREE WITH THIS MANTRA?
But as any other academic disciplines, history progressed
and opened up to the possibility of valid historical sources,
which were not limited to written documents, like
• government records,
• chroniclers’ accounts, or
• personal letters.
• Giving premium to written documents essentially invalidates the history of other
civilizations that do not keep written records.
• Some were keener on passing their history by word of mouth. Others got their
historical documents burned or destroyed in the events of war or colonization.
• Restricting historical evidence as exclusively written is also discrimination against
other social classes who were not recorded in paper.
Nobilities, monarchs, the elite, and even the middle class would have their birth,
education, marriage, and death as matters of government and historical record. But
what of peasant families or indigenous groups who were not given much thought
about being registered to government records?
Does the absence of written documents about them mean they were
people of no history or past? Did they even exist?
This loophole was recognized by historians who started using
other kinds of historical sources, which may not be in written form
but were just as valid. A few examples are oral traditions in forms of
epics and songs, artifacts, architecture, and memory. History thus
became more inclusive and started collaborating with other
disciplines as its auxiliary disciplines.
Other Definitions of History:
• History is defined as a documented record of man and his society. (Gray, 1956,
pp.1-3).
• As a field of study, history is a study of man and his achievements from the
beginning of written records to the present.
• As a literary form of history is an effective presentation of the unfolding events.
But as a type of literature history falls under non-fiction work.
• History comes from social history which defines it as a record of events showing
the evolution of man and his society from the earliest and from the age of
barbarism to what he is today
QUESTIONS AND ISSUES IN HISTORY
Historiography
• the history of history.
• different from history’s object of study is the past, the events that happened in the past
and the causes of such events while historiography’s object of study is history itself
(how was a certain historical text written? Who wrote it? What was the context of the
publication? What particular historical method was employed? What are the sources
used? )
• letting students have better understanding of history because they are provided with
the understanding of the facts and the historian’s contexts, the methods employed by
the historian and the theory and perspective, which guided him.
• significant for someone studying history because it teaches the students to be critical
in the lessons of history presented to him.
Importance and Uses of History
• History helps us understand people and societies.
• History helps us understand change and how the society we live in
came to be.
• History provides identity.
• Studying history is essential for good citizenship
• What were your misconceptions about the topic prior to taking up
this lesson?
• What new or additional learning have you gained from this lesson in
terms of skills, content, and attitude?
SELF ASSESSMENT 1
Below is a definition of history by Zeus A. Salazar (1999). Examine it carefully
then answer the questions following the definition.
“Ang KASAYSAYAN ay SALAYSAY hinggil sa nakaraan o nakalipas na may SAYSAY –
kahulugan, katuturan, at kabuluhan – sa SARILING LIPUNAN at KULTURA o kabuuang
kinabibilangan. Ito ay iniuulat gamit ang mga konsepto at kategorya ng sariling
kultura.”
A. What does the author mean or imply by “Ang kasaysayan ay salaysay… na may
saysay sa sariling lipunan at kultura”?
