THE MEANING AND

RELEVANCE OF HISTORY
What is History?
• To make sense, it is necessary to first understand what it is
all about.
• Many people think that history is merely lists of names,
dates, places, and important events.
• However, the study of history is more than just knowing and
memorizing facts.
• 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.
• A historian can comprehend how situations happened,
identify their elements, think of how these situations can
solve today’s predicaments and help plan for the future.
• The study of history is the study of the beliefs and desires,
practices and institutions of human beings.
• With this definition, history becomes an active factor in the
study of Philippine society.
• It also includes a look into the development of Philippine
culture through time especially with the influences of the
colonial period that would eventually shape the present
Philippine identity.
Why Study History?
• An examination of the past can tell us a great deal about how we
came to be who we are.
• It looks at the roots of modern institution, 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 perspectives will enable us to analyze critically the present
contexts of society and beings.
The Meaning of History
• The English word history is derived from the Greek noun
istoria meaning learning.
• According to the Greek Philosopher Aristotle, history is a
systematic account of a set of natural phenomena, whether
or not chronological factoring was a factor in the account.
• The equivalent Latin word scientia came to be used more
regularly to designate non-chronological systematic
accounts of natural pheneomena in chronological order.
• By its common definition, the word history now means the
past of mankind.
Reference
• Torres, J. (2018). Batis: sources in Philippine history. Quezon City: C&E
Publishing, Inc.