EBOJO, RASELLE V.

MARCH , 2022
BSEE -4A

READING III

GUIDE QUESTIONS FOR BETTER UNDERSTANDING

1.) What is the fundamental task historian to his Country and his people?
 Historians collect and evaluate information from many primary sources
to answer questions about historical events, a process known as the
historical method. They may analyze written records, physical artifacts,
and other types of evidence during the course of their investigations.
Historians often prepare reports to explain the significance of their
findings, connecting the relevance and value of new discoveries to
modern society.

2.) As an academic discipline, how does a historian make a truthful historical

account of the past? How does this relate with the scientific method used in
natural sciences?
 To arrive at "facts", historians are demanded to demonstrate in detail
how to bridge the gap between documentation and the conclusions that
are drawn from it. The difference in the historians' point of view rests in
knowing how to put question to a document and knowing what questions
to raise.

3.) Do you believe that history is never truly objective? Does this hold true to
news making?
 I believe that history can never be “objective’ because it is always
written from a point of view the writer. However, this should not be
taken with skepticism believing that history is a fiction. While historians
may interpret the past from various perspectives and reasons, their
narratives must be based on all available authentic and reliable
evidences.

4.) What brought the emergence of nationalist history in the Philippines? Is

nationalist history an opposition to colonial-based historiography?
 The gaps left by "colonial-minded" historiography in the Philippines has
led Filipino historians to make attempts in writing history from
“nationalist" or nation-based histories.

5.) What types of “nationalist history" obstructed the national cause i.e.,
developing national identity and national consciousness?
 Some Filipinos, who wrote “nationalist” history obstructed rather than
promoted national interest. These include the writing of Pedro Paterno
(Ancient Tagalog Civilization), Jose Marco (Code of Kalantiaw and La
Loba Negra), Diego Lope Povedano (La Isla de Negros las Costumbres de
los Visayos) and Jose Maria Pavon (Las Antiguas Legendas de las Islas de
Negros) which are considered hoax and historical distortions.
 6.) Explain why the writings of Pedro Paterno, Jose Marco, Diego Povedano and
Jose Maria Pavon were considered pseudo history or products of creative
imagination?
 The writings of the four Filipino historian considered pseudo history
because these products of a perversely creative imagination were not
only accepted but also commented on by respectable American and
Filipino historians.

7.) What is the difference in emphasis between the colonialist and elitist
approaches in historiography? What factor/s influence this emphasis?
 The nationalist history of the 1970s rejects the colonialist and elitist
approaches— writing national history. It rather takes a stand on writing
people history or history from the point of view of the masses.

8.) What are the characteristics of a true history'?

 A true "people's history” following characteristics: (a)it sees the Filipino
people as the primary agents in their history - not objects repressed by
theocracy or oppressed by exploitative policies; (b) it refuses treat the
people as an abstraction manipulated by deterministic force such as
religion and imperialism (c) it tries to understand all aspects Of
experience of all the Filipino people, as they themselves understood it
and (d) it acknowledges what is valuable as well what is harmful in the
Filipino past

9.) Is history “people’s history” a liberating history? How could "people's history”
totally free the Filipinos from their colonial mentality?
 Yes. A people's history will help greatly in eradicating our colonial
mentality. It will make Filipinos more nationalistic, more wary of their
former colonizers, more zealous in safeguarding
their country's resources for its own people, and more determined to
attain control of their political and economic life. it will teach them to
identify the various forces that have shaped their present way of life
and thinking  It will expose the real enemies of their progress, the real
obstacles to their attainment of prosperity in freedom.

10.) What are the challenges Of Filipino historians in writing Philippines history?
How could they address these challenges?
 Filipino historians are called and challenged to present the Filipino past
in an its variety, all of the past provide inspiration for a better and more
Just society. But by depicting the whole of reality. history 'Will make it
possible to reform and reshape every society toward a better future.

ISSUES FOR DISCOURSE

1.) As a student of history, what lesson does the following statement give you?
"History not 'what happened in the past It the act of selecting. analyzing and
 writing about the past It is something that is done, that is constructed rather
than an inert body of data that lies through the archives" —James Davidson
and Mark Lytle

2.) "The victors write the history," how would you reconcile this statement with
the dominance as well as the biases and prejudices of historical narratives
made by the Spanish chroniclers who wrote about the history of the Filipino
people?

3.) Do you think it is right to use nationalist perspective in the writing of

Philippine history? Why? How can a nationalist perspective build a sense of
national identity and offer guidance for the present and for the future?