MEANING AND RELEVANCE OF HISTORY

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

At the end of this chapter, the students are expected to:

- Define what history is;

- Determine the relevance of history to mankind;

- Discuss the nature of history;

- Identify the primary and secondary sources in understanding Philippine history, and

- Analyze the context, content, and perspective of different kinds of primary sources.

Understanding History

Introduction

Sociologists have defined history as the study of life in society in the past, in all
its aspects, in relation to present developments and future hopes. It focuses on the story
of man in time, an inquiry into the past based on valid evidences. Indeed, it thrives on
the evidence which validates the authenticity and credibility of an event.

History informs the present generation of events that happened in the past, when
it happened, and how it happened. It is an inquiry into the inevitable changes in human
affairs in the past and the ways these changes affect, influence or determine the
patterns of life in the society. A year or even decades under the hands of colonizers will
have a great effect on the colonized country and its people.

History is aimed at helping students to understand the existing social, political,

religious and economic conditions of the people. History will tell the reasons why
Japanese are wary of the nuclear bombs, how countries Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan,
Georgia and other former members of the Russian Federation gained their
independence, and when East and West Germany joined together.
 History explains the background of our religion, customs and traditions, among
others. Filipinos were not Christians immediately. Churches did not spring from
nowhere. Our ancestors did not wear the baro’t saya in the early days. The teaching of
history aids the students to explain the present, to analyze it and to trace its course. The
cause-and-effect relationship between the past and the present is clearly explained in
history.

Meaning of History

The term history was derived from Greek word 'historia’ which means inquiry or
knowledge acquired from investigation. History is the study of the past as it is
described in written documents. It provides the analysis and interpretation of the human
past enabling us to study continuity and changes that take place over time.

Below are other definitions provided by various historians:

1. “History is the record of what one age finds worthy of note in another.”- Burckhardt

2. "History, in its broadest sense, is everything that ever happened. "- Henry Johnson

3. “The value and interest of history depend largely on the degree in which the present
is illuminated by the past." - V.S. Smith

4. “History is the story of man's struggle through the ages against Nature and the
elements, against wild beasts and the jungle and some of his own kind who have tried
to keep him down and to exploit him for their own benefit." - Jawaharal Nehru

In general, history provides us significant records of events of the past, a

meaningful story of mankind depicting the details of what happened to man and why it
happened.
Nature of History

To better understand history, it is essential to determine its very nature.

1. History is a study of the present in the light of the past. The present owes its
existence on the past. To understand how society has come to its present form there is
a need to know its past. One cannot just leapfrog and ignore what happened in the past.
The past events need to be unearthed to reveal how the present evolved out of it.

2. History is the study of man. As one historian said, history deals with man's
struggles through the ages. Past events are riddled with man's engagement in wars, his
struggles to win his independence. History traces the fascinating story of how man has
developed through the ages, how man has studied to use and control his environment
and how the present institutions have grown out of the past.

3. History is concerned with man in time. It deals with a series of events and each
event happens at a given point in time. History dwells on the human development in
time.

4. History is concerned with man in space. History talks about nations and human
activities in the context of their physical and geographical environment. It centers on the
interaction of man on his environment and vice-versa.

5. History provides an objective record of happenings. Historians are careful on the

data they include in their books. They base their data on original sources and make
them free from subjective interpretation.

6. History is multisided. History is not limited to one certain aspect of man's lite, it
covers all other aspects as they are all closely interrelated. A change in politics could
have an effect in other aspects of the society.
7. History is a dialogue between the events of the past and progressively
emerging future ends. Past events are interpreted and become predictor of new
objectives.

8. History is not only narration but it is also an analysis. History is not confined with
narrative accounts. It dissects and explains the occurrence of the event and how it
ultimately changes the society over time.

9. Continuity and coherence are the necessary requisites of history. History

monitors the development of the society, from generation to generation, after series of
event, justifying the essence of continuity.

10. History is relevant. In the study of history, only significant events which have
influenced the society are covered and essential to the understanding of the present life.

11. History is comprehensive. History is not limited to one period or to one country
alone. It deals with all aspects of human life -- political, social, economic, religious,
literary, aesthetic, and physical, giving a clear picture of global linkage.

Relevance of History

Truly, history is very useful not only to the students but also to every individual
from different walks of life. Here are some functions of history.

1. History helps us understand people and societies. Understanding the culture of a

particular race is difficult without looking back at its history. Experiences in the past play
in shaping the society. Countless revolution, alliances, and elections influence how
people act and behave. Studying history will allow us to figure out why the Puritans left
England in the 14th century, why the Jews hated Adolf Hitler that much, and how the
Palestines struggle for recognition until now.
2. History contributes to moral understanding. Studying the struggles of heroes in
the past or of people who defied adversities can serve as inspiration. A study of the past
can provide lessons in courage, diligence or constructive protest. Mahatma Gandhi and
Corazon Aquino set good examples of peaceful revolution.

3. History provides identity. Historical data include evidence about how families, race,
institutions and countries were formed and how they evolved while retaining cohesion.
History provides facts about genealogy and a basis for understanding how the family
has interacted with larger historical change.

4. Studying history is essential for good citizenship. Knowing where your ancestors
came from and their struggles for freedom is a source of pride for any individual. History
provides data about the emergence of national institutions, problems and values. It
offers evidence also about how nations have interacted with other societies, providing
international and comparative perspectives essential for responsible citizenship.
Studying history encourages habits of mind that are vital for responsible public behavior,
whether as a community leader, an informed voter, a petitioner, or a simple observer.

5. History is useful in the world of work. History helps create good business people,
professionals and political leaders. Knowledge in history is unquestionably an asset for
a variety of work and professional situations. By studying different phases of the past
and different societies in the past, it gives jobseekers the range and flexibility required in
many work situations. Migrant workers, for instance, are oriented about the country
where they will work prior their departure. Political leaders likewise need to understand
the past of their constituents and the milieu where they plan to govern.

Primary Sources

In the study of history as an academic discipline, the use of primary sources is

necessary. A primary source provides direct or firsthand evidence about an event, an
object, a person, or a work of art. These primary sources provide the original materials
on which research is based and enable students and other researchers to get as close
as possible to what actually happened during a particular event or era. Published
materials can be viewed as primary sources as long as they come from the time period
that is being discussed and were written or produced by someone with firsthand
experience of the event
 Examples of primary sources include autobiographies and memoirs; diaries,
personal letters, and correspondence; interviews, surveys, and fieldwork; internet
communications on email, blogs, listservs, and newsgroups, photographs, drawings,
and posters; works of art and literature; books, magazines and newspaper articles and
ads published at the time; public opinion polls; speeches and oral histories, original
documents such as birth certificates, property deeds, and trial transcripts; research data
such as census statistics: official and unofficial records of organizations and
government agencies; artifacts of all kinds, such as tools, coins, clothing, furniture;
audio recordings, DVDs and video recordings; government documents (reports, bills,
proclamations, hearings); patents: technical reports; and scientific journal articles
reporting experimental research results.

History as an academic discipline heavily relies on primary sources, as evaluated

by a community of scholars, who report their findings in books, articles and papers. As
one historian says, “Primary sources are absolutely fundamental to history." Generally,
a historian capitalizes on all available primary sources that were created by the people
involved at the time being studied. In reality, some sources have been destroyed, while
others are not available for research. Remember, printing press was invented way back
in 14th century and was introduced in most countries at the end of that century. The
most reliable eyewitness reports of an event may be memoirs, autobiographies, or oral
interviews taken years or even centuries ago. Manuscripts that are sources for classical
texts can be copies of documents, or fragments of copies of documents. For this
reason, history is usually taught in schools using secondary sources.

Arguably many primary sources are withheld by private individuals or groups,

others are available in archives, libraries, museums, historical societies, and special
collections. These can be public and private. Some are affiliated with universities and
colleges, will others are government entities, while others are government entities.

Historians who are into publishing academic articles with fresh or new
perspectives prefer to go back to available primary sources and to seek new ones.
Primary sources, be it accurate or not, offer new inputs into historical questions and
most modern history dwells on archives and special collections for the purpose of
finding useful primary sources. A work on history is not likely to be taken seriously as
scholarship if it only cites secondary sources, as it does not indicate that original
research has been done.
 In scholarly writing, it is essential to classify the sources to determine its
independence and reliability. In context such as historical writing, it is indeed advisable
to use primary sources but in the absence of one, the author may use the secondary
sources with great caution.

Different kinds of Primary Sources

Literary or Cultural Sources

1. Novels, plays, poems (both published and in manuscript form)

2. Television shows, movies, or videos

3. Paintings or photographs

Accounts that describe events, people, or ideas

1. Newspapers

2. Chronicles or historical accounts

3. Essays and speeches

4. Memoirs, diaries, journals, and letters

5. Philosophical treatises or manifestos

Information about people

1. Census records

2. Obituaries

3. Newspaper articles
4. Biographies and autobiographies

Finding information about a place

1. Maps and atlases

2. Census information

3. Statistics

4. Photographs

5. City directories

6: Local libraries or historical societies

Finding information about an organization

1. Archives (sometimes held by libraries, institutions, or historical societies)

Three Types of Written Sources

1. Narrative sources or literary sources tell a story or message. These include diaries,
films, biographies, leading philosophical works and scientific works.

2. Diplomatic sources include charters and other legal documents which observe a set
format.
3. Social documents are records created by organizations, such as register of birth and
tax records.

Secondary Sources

Secondary sources generally describe, discuss, interpret, comment upon,

analyze, evaluate, summarize, and process primary sources. These secondary source
materials can be articles in newspapers or popular magazines, book or movie reviews,
or articles found in scholarly journals that discuss or evaluate someone else's original
research.

In historiography, when a study of history is subject to historical scrutiny, a

secondary source becomes a primary source. The historian's publication can likewise
be a primary source. Documentary films are considered secondary or primary sources
depending on how much the film maker modifies the original source.

Whether a source is regarded as primary or secondary in a given context may

change, depending upon the present state of knowledge within the field. For example, if
a document refers to the contents of a previous but undiscovered letter, that document
may be considered “primary', since it is the closest known thing to an original source,
but if the letter is later found, it may then be considered 'secondary'.

In some instances, the reason for identifying a text as the ‘primary source' may
devolve from the fact that no copy of the original source material exists, or that it is the
oldest extant source for the information cited.

Katipunan and the Revolution: Memoirs of a General

 by Santiago Alvarez

Translated by Carolina Malay

About the Author

Santiago V. Alvarez (July 25, 1872 - October 30, 1930), the only child of
revolutionary general Mariano Alvarez and Nicolasa Virata, was born in Imus but was
raised in Noveleta, Cavite. He was known as Kidlat ng Apoy (Lightning of Fire) because
of his inflamed bravery and participation in the Battle of Dalahican.

Santiago was among the first in Cavite to take up arms against Spain. All through
the Revolution, he fought side by side with his father. In the 36-hour battle in Dalahican,
one of the bloodiest encounters during the Revolution, he scored a decisive victory and
repulsed the Spanish troops.

When the American civil government was established in the Philippines in 1901,
Santiago assisted in the organization of the Nacionalista Party, where he later became
president of its directorate.

During the 1920s, his memoirs were published in Sampaguita, a Tagalog weekly,
in 36 installments (from July 24, 1927 to April 15, 1928). These were reproduced in
book form and translated in English by Paula Carolina S. Malay.

Malay graduated from the University of the Philippines. She taught economics at
various universities during the 1950s and 1960s. She turned to translation and writing
during the martial law period.

The events I have related in this account of the Katipunan and the Revolution
reverberate with shouts of “Long live our patriots!” and “Death to the enemy!" These
were in answer to the enemy's assaults with mausers and cannons, the latter fired from
both land and sea.
 The Magdiwang government honored me with an appointment as captain
general, or head of its army. Gen. Artemio Ricarte was lieutenant general.

I will now attempt to write down what I saw and what I know about the Katipunan
and the Revolution. First, I shall narrate the events relating to the Revolution beginning
from 14 March 1896; then I shall deal with the organization and activities of the Most
Venerable Supreme Society of the Sons of the People (Kamahalmahalan at
Kataastaasang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan). The Katipunan account is based on
records which were entrusted to me by the original founder of the Katipunan. In the
interest of honorable truth, I shall now attempt to write a history of the Katipunan and
the Revolution which I hope will be acceptable to all. However, I realize that it is
inevitable that, in the narration of actual happenings, I shall run the risk of hurting the
feeling of contemporaries and comrades-in-arms. I would like to make it clear that I shall
try to be as possible and that it is far from my intention of depreciate anyone's patriotism
and greatness.

I shall be honored if these memoirs become a worthy addittion to what Gen.

Artemio Ricarte as already published in this weekly.

On 14 March 1896, a Saturday, I accompanied Emilio F. Aguinaldo and

Raymundo Mata to Manila for their initiation into the Katipunan secret society. Messrs.
Aguinaldo and Mata were prominent townsmen of Kawit in Cavite, my home province.
Reaching Manila at about five in the afternoon, we waited for the appointed time at the
quarters of Jacinto Lumbreras, a Katipunan member. He was the caretaker of the
central telephone exchange on San Jacinto Street in Binondo.

At about seven o'clock in the evening, a Katipunan director arrived to take us to

the Katipunan headquarters. Before leaving Lumbreras' place, my two companions
were blindfolded. Then we got into a calesa [horsecart] and reached the home of
Andres Bonifacio, the Katipunan Supremo, after about an hour's ride. It was a moonlight
night and since the street was well-lit, we could see the house clearly. It was of
moderate size, the floor not too much raised from the ground; it had wooden walls and a
roof thatched with nipa [palm leaves]. The house was located on Cervantes Street (now
Rizal Avenue) in the San Ygnacio area of Bambang. It was surrounded by many
guards. Some of them police who were katipunan members. Directing operations was
Gregoria de Jesus, the wife of the Supremo Bonifacio.
 We were led into a room in the inner part of the house. On a table covered with
the black cloth were the skull and crossbones from a human skeleton. Lying beside the
skull and crossbones were the following paraphernalia: a new long-blanded weapon, an
old revolver, a small knife with a sharp edge, a new pen, a copy of the Katipunan
"primer" and a sheet of paper on which were written blood-colored characters. On both
sides of the table were Katipuneros blindfolded with the black cloth. On the wall behind
the skull was a rectangular banner of black cloth on which was the same motif of human
skull and crossbones. Above the manner were three K's arranged as in a tripod; all were
in white paint. Meanwhile, a woman lookout was heard to say, “Cool!” which was the
code word for "all clear”. Shortly afterward, the guides led the blindfolded into the house.
The woman lookout told the guard, “They're all here. Nobody else is coming. Alert your
comrades about tighter security.”

On execution, they pledge to destroy oppression by signing their names in their

own blood. When the ritual was over, the happy crowd of Katipunan members warmly
embraced the neophytes amid shouts “Brother! Brother!”.

Still blindfolded, the neophytes were then escorted down the house and cordially
sent off with a repetition of fraternal embraces. I then took over escorting Aguinaldo and
Mata. When we had walked some distance from the Supremo's house, I took off their
blindfolds. We proceeded to comrade Jacinto Lumbreras' quarters at the telephone
exchange, where we retired for the night. Incidentally, Lumbreras' wife delivered a baby
that night, and we were witnesses to that event.

Emilio Aguinaldo asked me to accompany him to see the Supremo Bonifacio

again to learn more about the Katipunan. We made the trip to Manila on a Monday, 6
April 1896.

In those days, we Cavite folk traveled to and from Manila aboard Spanish
vessels called "Ynchausti boats." They bore names like "Isabel", "Dominga", and others.
These vessels were purchased by Mr. Luis Yango; their operations are now managed
by his son, Teodor.

We left the pier at Cavite at seven in the morning, and an hour later we were in
Manila. Aguinaldo went to the port office to attend to some business while I waited
outside. When he comes out after about ten minutes, he was agitated. His face was
flushed and his steps were longer than usual. I asked him what was the matter. He was
upset over the superciliousness of one Ramon Padilla, with whom he had exchange
some sharp words. He said that Padilla, who was a functionary in the port office, tried to
impress people with superior airs but only succeeded in showing how rude and uncouth
he really was.

We talked while walking, and soon we reached Lavezares Street in Binondo

where Dr. Pio Valenzuela was living in a rented house. Dr. Valenzuela was then the
provisional chairman of the Katipunan. In the house we met the Supremo, Andres
Bonifacio, his wife Gregoria de Jesus; Jose Dizon; and Dr. Valenzuela himself. We were
welcomed cordially with fraternal embraces. They said that they already knew Mr.
Aguinaldo, but they did not recognize him since he had been blindfolded during their
first encounter.

After we were all seated, we happily exchanged news and talked about the
progress of the Katipunan. Once in a while, brother Aguinaldo hesitated, which
promoted the observant Bonifacio to ask solicitously if anything was bothering him. I
volunteered the information that he had had some unpleasant experience with an official
at the port office and that was what probably was on his mind. I had scarcely finished
what I was saying when the Supremo's face flushed and his voice shook as he said, "It
is necessity to defend the honor of our brother here."

Immediately, he sent Dr. Pio Valenzuela and Jose Dizon to the house of Ramon
Padilla for redress to the dishonor he had showed to brother Aguinaldo. In default of an
apology, the two emissaries were to be seconds in a duel. The Katipunan continued to
spread. It was Good Friday in the month of April 1896. At nine o'clock in the morning,
the Supremo Andres Bonifacio, accompanied by Dr. Pio Valenzuela, Emilio Jacinto, and
Pantaleon Torres, arrived in the town of Noveleta, Cavite province to establish a
provincial council of the Katipunan.

The council came to be known as the Magdiwang. The following were its officers:
Mariano Alvarez, president; Pascual Alvarez, secretary; Dionisio Alvarez, treasurer;
Valentin Salud, prosecutor; Benito Alix, sergeant-at-arms; Nicolas Ricafrente, Adriano
Guinto, Emeterio Malia, and Valeriano Aquino, directors.

While both councils approved their respective regulation uniforms, with a

common set of rank insignias, very few were able to comply because of unsettling
events coming one after the other.
 On Saturday, 28 September 1896, Captain General Apoy and General Vibora
prepared to go to the field to inspect the fortifications to the west along the Cavite-
Batangas border, which were under the command of Brig. Gen. Eleuterio Marasigan
and Col. Luciano San Miguel. But before the two generals could leave, the commander
of the troops defending Dalahikan, Major Aklan, came to the war ministry to report that
they had sighted the enemy fortifying the narrowest neck of Dalahikan. The enemy
activity, which had started in the night, included the massing of Spanish troops.