History’s Sources

Prof. Jet Castillo

Prof. Beth Morales-Nuncio
 Question
• Have you ever
wondered how we
got our history?
 Answer

• They were written by historians

who used materials called
SOURCES.
There are 2 types of SOURCES:
• PRIMARY SOURCES
These are materials produced by people
directly involved in the event being studied
(Gottchalk, 1950).

• SECONDARY SOURCES
The testimony of anyone who is not an
eyewitness, one who was not present in
the event of which he tells (Gottchalk, 1950).
Examples of Primary Sources
1. Eyewitness accounts
 1. Eyewitness accounts
• Pedro Janolino was the Kawit Company
commander, the first man to strike Gen.
Antonio Luna with a bolo to the face, in
his assassination.
• He was interviewed by journalists and
historians in the 1920s regarding his
involvement in the assassination, and
how the event transpired.
 2. Primary documents
• Diaries, letters, treaties, contracts, government records, and the likes
 2. Primary documents
• In his book, Memoirs of the Revolution,
Emilio Aguinaldo admitted he ordered the
killing of Andres Bonifacio.
• In his letter to his sister, we know that Rizal
was a smoker.
• In the diary of an early Spanish conquistador,
we know that the ancient Filipino men were
circumcised.
• In a World War 2 US Military file, we know
that Sir Jet’s grandfather and grand uncles
were USAFFE soldiers.
 3. Photographs
• They tell us how our heroes really
looked like
• Reflect social conditions, historical
realities, and everyday life.
 3. Photographs
• Thru this photo, we know that…
• Rizal has a large head
• He faced west, based on the
shadows
• There were streetlights already
• There was a dog in Rizal’s
execution
 4. Old sketches and drawings
• Also indicate the conditions of life of societies in the past.
 4. Old sketches and drawings
• The Boxer Codex – a book of colored sketches made by a Spaniard.
It shows how the ancient Filipinos looked like in 1590.
5. Old Maps
• Thru this old map (left) we
can see that Intramuros
used to be an island!
5. Old Maps
• The Scarborough Shoal and
the Spratly Islands were
already part of Philippine
territory, according to this
old Spanish Era map.
 6. Editorial Cartoons

• Show political expression

and propaganda during a
certain time.
 6. Editorial Cartoons

• In this 1898 caricature, US Pres.

McKinley is shown saving the
“savage” Filipino from falling into
trouble.
7. Material evidence of the past
• artifacts, fossils, structures, and the likes
 7. Material evidence of the past
• The Manunggul jar shows what
our ancestors believed in. The
spirit of the dead are carried by
rowers to the after-life.
• Bonifacio’s skull had smashed
teeth because he was
bayoneted in the mouth when
he was arrested.
• Rizal’s skull shows he was a
cross-bite.
8. Statistical tables, graphs and charts from old journals.
8. Statistical tables, graphs and charts from
old journals
9. Video and Audio Recordings
9. Video and Audio Recordings
• Video review of the Ninoy
Assassination helped us answer
many questions.
 10. Music and Arts
• They are reflections of the period when they were created.
 10. Music and Arts
• In this Amorsolo painting, we
can learn the way of life of
people about a century ago.
• They use bila-o, bandana, clay
stove, and non-mechanized
farming.
• Women don’t wear pants and
shorts.
 List of Primary Sources

1. Eyewitness accounts • 6. Caricatures (Editorial Cartoons)

2. Written documents • 7. Material evidence (artifacts)
3. Photographs • 8. Graphs and Charts
4. Drawing and sketches • 9. Video and Audio recordings
5. Old maps • 10. Music and Arts
 How about Secondary Sources?
• The testimony of anyone who is not an eyewitness, one who was not
present in the event of which he tells (Gottchalk, 1950).
 Examples of Secondary Sources
• Textbooks
• History books
• Interview with a secondary source (a person who was not present
in the historical event he is talking about).